Is this Water Hemlock Dropwort in my garden (and what to do if so)?

I casually asked my partner a couple of days ago - "what's that stuff growing down there"? We're starting to take our first steps into foraging and so some plants I've not previously taken an interest in now have me curious.

She later took a look on her laptop and seems it might the most poisonous plant on the UK!

So can anyone help to ID for sure whether this is Water Hemlock Dropwort? We've got loads of it! Mostly growing on the banks of the stream, but some is actually in the stream as per one of the photos.

If it is, are we best to try and get rid of it (with all of the necessary safety precautions of course)? We have a dog that like to eat grass (and all manner of stuff) so that's our main concern. But also, sheep and cattle graze in nearby feels and we wouldn't want to be responsible for spreading it to those places.

On the other hand, we do like to encourage wildlife in the garden so if it is good for wildlife it would be interesting to hear about that too.

If any photos are needed of a particular aspect to help ID, please let me know.

Many thanks

 

I think the leaves are wrong for Water Hemlock, but don't take my word for it.

 

I think hemlock has purple splashes and spots the stems.

 

It certainly does have reddish or purple marks on the stem.

 

I think that it's cow parsley.

 

How to tell apart cow parsley and hemlock

 

Many thanks for the replies.

I have since taken more photos and I emailed them to a bushcraft/forager chap who replied saying he also felt it probably is water hemlock. Here are the extra photos if anyone wants to take a look:

Hemlock Water Dropwort - Google Drive

The link above from @pete compares cow parsley and hemlock, NOT water hemlock dropwort. And the same applies to the posts RE the purple on the stems, which I believe is a feature just of the "straight" hemlock, not WHD.


For the benefit of anyone coming across this in the future, the chap I emailed also recommended I use a face mask if removing it, alongside all of the other necessary precautions, as someone he knew became ill from the "fumes".

Thanks again

 

Sorry, forgot to ask .... Another thing I am not sure about - do I need to worry about the "fumes" when burning it? Should I wear a face mask then as well?

 

Hi again

Was going to start pulling it up today but not really sure what to do with it once it has been pulled up. I've done some reading RE burning and opinions seem very mixed and divided.

Someone has said to sun dry it then compost it as the toxin chemicals are quite fragile, but the idea of putting it in compost makes me nervous.

I can see the sense in just leaving them on the bank seeing as that's what would happen naturally in the autumn anyhow (aside from the roots, but I could destroy them some other way). But what I don't like so much about that it is it would be unsightly, and - and this could be me being daft - I'd worry about wildlife coming along and having a munch. But it might end up being my preferred method. I'd pull them all up first. Then chop the roots off and bag them up whilst leaving all the top growth on the banks to rot down.


Any thoughts or anecdotes on disposal would be great.

Cheers

 

I would cut the tops down and compost them, repeat annually until it stops appearing. As it is near a water course weedkiller is out without approval by the Environmental Agency; who may well want a professional to do the job. You could pull the roots up stick the whole lot into the council green waste bin and let them compost it.

 

Thanks Nigel. My concern would be causing harm to the bin collectors and/or workers at the dump. And no, I don't like using chemicals anywhere, let alone near the stream.

So it's compost or burn I guess, which is a bugger as I think we've got enough if it to fill about three tonne bags! Maybe more....

 

Cor! That's a lot. I would cut it in sections and leave it to wilt for 24 to 48hrs, that will reduce the volume quite a bit.

 

Well, removal started in earnest today and will continue tomorrow. I decided in the end to remove the roots for drying then burning, and leave the foliage piled up on the bank but at a safe distance from the stream.

Stupid question... if the flowers are only just forming now, does that mean they are well off being seed and leaving the foliage piled up won't cause other new plants to grow from it?

Also, does the plant grow only from it's seeds? Or is it one of these plants that will regrow from every tiny piece of root that's left?

I've looked up both questions but found no answers. Probably because they're stupid questions!

Ta

 

I have no direct experience, but I found the following:
Hemlock | www.gardenorganic.org.uk

"
Biology:
Hemlock flowers from June to July. A plant may produce 38,000 seeds that fall around the parent plant or are dispersed by water, rodents and birds. Some seeds remain clinging to the parent plant and dispersal takes place over several months. The embryos are not fully developed in ripe seeds and the seeds have morphological dormancy when shed. The embryos therefore require a short period of maturation prior to germination. The seeds can sometimes develop physiological dormancy when the embryos are fully grown.

In a 5-year study, seeds sown in the field and stirred periodically emerged mainly from January to April and July to September. Most seedlings emerged in the first 12 months after sowing with odd seedling emerging until year 5 when a few viable seeds still remained in the soil. The plant develops a long white taproot.

Persistence and Spread:
Seeds may remain viable in soil for several years. Seed recovered from excavations and dated at over 50 years old has been reported to germinate. Seed in dry storage has persisted for 5 years.

Management:
Hand pulling of hemlock may be effective prior to seed set. Mowing in spring kills mature plants, a second mowing in late summer kills emerged seedlings and any regrowth. Constant cutting of the leaves and grubbing up of the roots will eradicate hemlock. The plant debris must be disposed of safely.

Hemlock is not eaten by rabbits.

"

 

Thanks Aldo, that's really helpful, although i note that it is about Hemlock rather than Water Hemlock Dropwort. Whether the same applies to both species who knows? Appreciate the link and info. Cheers