# Difference between cow parsley and hemlock?



## saddlesore (13 May 2011)

Hiya, I posted something similar a few days ago about my boy eating  this whilst out hacking: 













Everyone on here said it was cow parsley and that it was fine, but then out riding again today someone said it was hemlock and its deadly poisonous!! Just had a google and they both look the same to me 

Is there a way to tell the difference?


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## showqa (13 May 2011)

I think hemlock has a purply stem, hollow. They do look similar though so I understand your worry.


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## saddlesore (13 May 2011)

I'm completley paranoid now!  I'll go have a look at the stems tomorrow - fingers crossed!


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## little_critter (13 May 2011)

I suspect if it was hemlock he would have keeled over by now.
Hemlock has a spotted purple stem and smells nasty. It also has smooth stems whereas cow parsley is a little ribbed and hairy.


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## showqa (13 May 2011)

Look up the posts of Paddy Irish - s/he posted picture of the three (Cow Parsley, Hogweed nd Hemlock) and they're really clear to see.


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## saddlesore (13 May 2011)

Oh great thanks I'll have a look 

Would he not be tempted to eat hemlock then? He's going daft for the stuff!!


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## showqa (13 May 2011)

It was posted 6/5 - go into the search panel and look at advanced search. Put in Cow parsley and then Paddy Irish and the post will come up. Hope it helps.


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## Balibee (13 May 2011)

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=454402&highlight=hemlock

Excellent thread


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## JoBird (13 May 2011)

Definitely cow parsley.  It grows april/may and often in verges amongst grass and clivers. Horses will often grab it out on a ride whereas I have NEVER had one grab hemlock. Chill!


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## Rob Lakeside (13 May 2011)

Hemlock Is vary rear!
I have only in 30 years seen it 3 times and I am a horticulturist, and only on waist ground

It is the most erect of all these umbellifies, has purple spots on the stems and will grow 3-5 times larger than the cowparsley found in hedgerows.

Finally flowers in June.

Please can we put an end to this!!!


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## cob&onion (13 May 2011)

http://www.torrens.org.uk/FFF/plants/CP+H.html


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## saddlesore (13 May 2011)

Rob Lakeside said:



			Please can we put an end to this!!!
		
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Surely it is better to ask? 

Thanks to those who offered advice and the links - feeling MUCH better now!  x


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## Rose Folly (14 May 2011)

Quite right to ask - an interesting thread. Rob only wants to end it so he can go practice his spelling.


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## kerilli (14 May 2011)

Rose Folly said:



			Quite right to ask - an interesting thread. Rob only wants to end it so he can go practice his spelling.
		
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haha brilliant, why isn't there a 'Like' button on here?!

Seriously though, thanks for the info Rob, good to know that hemlock's rare and so there's very little likelihood that the mouthful of greenery a horse has just grabbed is hemlock...

i read that hemlock smells nasty too, fusty like mice, whereas cow parsley smells really fresh and green to me.


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## saddlesore (14 May 2011)

Rose Folly said:



			Quite right to ask - an interesting thread. Rob only wants to end it so he can go practice his spelling.
		
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Ha ha ha - another LIKE from me!!


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## Zuzan (14 May 2011)

If it's not cow parsley it might be Sweet Cicely..  which is fine.. looks a bit like hemlock..







http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/c/cicswe67.html


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## DipseyDeb (14 May 2011)

Rose Folly said:



			Quite right to ask - an interesting thread. Rob only wants to end it so he can go practice his spelling.
		
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Love it!!


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## Paddy Irish (14 May 2011)

Trouble is there are three types of hemlock really,

Hemlock water dropwort (Ocenanthe Crocata )
Water Hemlock ( Genus Circuta )
Hemlock ( Genus conruim )
May have the Latin names slightly wrong but along those lines.

ALL are of the Umbellifore family so all have the same unmistakable white flowers as has Cow parsley.
I'm pretty sure we have either the water dropwort type or the Water hemlock , both seriously harmful to people and livestock . Although there has only been about 14 human deaths from it between 1900 - 1978 - mostly kids that have eaten it. Animals tend to know whats good and whats bad but Paddy did stretch out and snatch a hemlock top whilst riding , and although i managed to pull it out and he spat the rest out , it goes to show that when two plants look similar and your horse is diving into the hedge un - checked he/she is not going to stop to see which one it is. It's up to us all to know the difference - just in case. Hemlock , with the purple stem spots may be rare as Rob says but the other two varieties are everywhere.


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## cob&onion (14 May 2011)

My girl certainly loves a bit of the stuff


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## Paddy Irish (14 May 2011)

Lovely pic C&O , I can tell straight away that you are offering up a tasty bit of cow parsley ( which is in flower now , whereas hemlock is still just budding) You can see quite a long length of stem from where the top leaves are to the actual flower and the leaves are fine. Water hemlock flowers sit pretty much just above the highest set of leaves.


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## Miss L Toe (14 May 2011)

Hemlock leaves are tighter and more defined, they grow in ditches and water courses, quite common in Scotland, not that I mean in every field, but certainly on   most estates.


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## appylass (14 May 2011)

We sometimes get a patch of hemlock in our lane (nowhere near horses!) I notice the awful smell before anything else. it is hard to describe, maybe a bit like very badly gone off curry! Once you smell it you won't forget. None of the animals (cattle or horses) show any interest in it, whereas they will all do anything for cow parsley!


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## cob&onion (14 May 2011)

Hog weed is another nasty that looks similar to hemlock and cow parsley - hog weed is HUGE though and apparently can give really nasty skin burns.


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## Tnavas (14 May 2011)

Hemlock when crushed smells like male mouse pee - disgusting.


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## somethingorother (14 May 2011)

Rose Folly said:



			Quite right to ask - an interesting thread. Rob only wants to end it so he can go practice his spelling.
		
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That is uncalled for when someone is just trying to offer some useful info. Not everyone can spell brilliantly, but i think it was quite readable. No need at all to pick on someone for their spelling, are you a bratty child? No? Then don't act like one.


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## Rose Folly (15 May 2011)

Hi  somethingorother. Didn't like Rob's attitude to saddlesore, frankly. Very superior, very dismissive - and he still can't spell..... I don't doubt his horticulturist knowledge, but people with knowledge should pass it on graciously - not try to shut someone up who's asking a very sensible question.


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## Tnavas (15 May 2011)

Rose Folly said:



			Hi  somethingorother. Didn't like Rob's attitude to saddlesore, frankly. Very superior, very dismissive - and he still can't spell..... I don't doubt his horticulturist knowledge, but people with knowledge should pass it on graciously - not try to shut someone up who's asking a very sensible question.
		
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^^^^ Agree - I also thought Rob's comment was totally uncalled for. No matter how often people ask the same question it hurts no-one to answer in a friendly way.


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## teddyt (15 May 2011)

Evelyn said:



			Hemlock when crushed smells like male mouse pee - disgusting.
		
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I am intrigued to know how you developed the skill of distinguishing between male and female mouse pee 

Hemlock has more closely bunched flowers. They are the same colour but they are bunched in a bowl shape and the stems are fatter. once you have seen the two side by side there is a clear difference


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## EAST KENT (15 May 2011)

Rare?? Hemlock?? Oh really? It grows a very fine crop each and every year all along our motorways ,at the moment it is only a couple of feet high,bright green ,the stems have purple/maroon spots for the first 18" or so,it is far taller than cow parsley (a horse delicacy) growing to around six feet.
 Socrates chose to exit this world by drinking it`s juice.It acts on the nerves,the outer extremities going tingly and numb first ..and progressing slowly until it stops the heart.Rather vile in that the sufferer remains aware until the heart stops supplying blood to the brain.I think Socrates other choice was the sword,but hemlock does`nt sound a good option either


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## cob&onion (15 May 2011)

EAST KENT said:



			Rare?? Hemlock?? Oh really? It grows a very fine crop each and every year all along our motorways ,at the moment it is only a couple of feet high,bright green ,the stems have purple/maroon spots for the first 18" or so,it is far taller than cow parsley (a horse delicacy) growing to around six feet.
 Socrates chose to exit this world by drinking it`s juice.It acts on the nerves,the outer extremities going tingly and numb first ..and progressing slowly until it stops the heart.Rather vile in that the sufferer remains aware until the heart stops supplying blood to the brain.I think Socrates other choice was the sword,but hemlock does`nt sound a good option either

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Sounds nasty!!!


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## Rose Folly (15 May 2011)

That's really useful about hemlock smelling so horrible. I don't think I've ever seen it so it's useful to know.

As for the mouse pee, that's a real conversation stopper. I'm going round to my neighbour whose kids have pet mice for a crash course!!


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## heatherhetty (10 June 2015)

Not very sympathetic Rob ,not everyone Has your experience & are as entitled to ask genuine questions are You are to Answer them, if you're sick of the thread,Leave ..poor girl's just worried bless !


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