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Conditions right for poison hemlock to thrive this year
This large stand of poison hemlock was found along County Road 12 just four blocks east of Highway 14 on the edge of Aurora. Hemlock growth like this can be seen all over the county and the region this year, due in part to the plentiful rain since the plant thrives in wet and soggy soils. Ingesting any part of the plant can be harmful and even fatal to humans and animals.
Poison hemlock can be identified by its fern-like leaves, clusters of tiny white flowers and hollow woody stem. All parts of the plant are poisonous from the roots to the blossoms.
One doesn’t have to drive very far on county roads in the area to notice that one particular plant is thriving this year and it’s one that could be deadly to people or livestock. Poison hemlock is easily recognizable by its tall (as high as 10 feet under the right conditions) ferny leafed stalks topped with clusters of tiny white flowers. A fan of wetter soils, it is often found in...
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