06/09/2026
Queen Anne's Lace may appear to be everywhere at this time of year, but often impostors posing as the harmless plant are just waiting for an unsuspecting passerby to pick them and potentially experience severe consequences.
People with sensitive skin may get a rash from poison hemlock, but you'd have to eat it, inhale it, or absorb it through a cut to exerience the symptoms of poisoning, which include everything from sweating and rapid heartbeat to muscle paralysis and kidney failure, or even death.
Giant hogweed is another story. The sap and tissues contain toxins that cause a severe reaction and can damage skin and eyes. Tissues will be more sensitive to sunlight after exposure for a period of months.
Wild parsnip (yes, it's yellow, not white, but looks enough like other dangerous plants to include her) causes phytophotodermatitis - in the presence of sunlight, skin that has come in contact with plant sap will develop rashes, blisters, and discoloration. Though the flowers, stems and leaves are toxic, the roots can be eaten.
Beware!
