Hi Renee,

My name is Jeremy and I'm a horticulture agent with MSU Extension. Thanks for including photos! It does look like poison hemlock and I have a few questions I'd like to ask before we talk about management:

• Do the stems have purple spots?
• Are the stems hollow? (Wear gloves when handling these plants)
• Could you estimate the average plant height? (ballpark is fine)
• Do the leaves have fine hairs?

Thank you!

Jeremy

Hi Renee,
Thanks for the additional photo. Unfortunately, your answers aren't showing up in the post. Could you submit them again?

Kindly,

Jeremy

Hi Renee,

Does the lower stems have purple spots/splotches on it? Attaching a photo for example.

Hi Renee,

Great photos! Very helpful. 

Here are my thoughts:

• I'm not yet convinced that this is poison hemlock. It has some of the traits, but it' s also  missing a few classic characteristics.
• It definitely looks like a member of the carrot family, but too tall to be Queen Anne's lace. I'm not sure of the species. 

I'll see if someone in my network recognizes it.

In the meantime, if you want to keep it from spreading, one thing you can do is to try and keep it from going to seed.  Many species in the carrot family are biennial and only live for two years. Many biennials produce a basal rosette in their first year and only send up flowers in their second year. Clipping the plants down to soil level will help keep this generation from producing the seeds of future generations.

It's important to note that the carrot family is famous for producing phototoxic compounds. Weed whips and lawn mowers have the potential to splatter plant juices everywhere, so I would avoid using them until we have a positive identification.

Here are a couple of resources that may help:

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/poison-hemlock-identification-and-control

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/drive-by-botany-poison-hemlock-and-perennial-pea

There are some good photos of poison hemlock to compare to what you have in your backyard.

Kindly,

Jeremy

Hi Renee,

I had a conversation with one of our weed scientists. Our best guess is that it's a hedge-parsley of some sort....possibly Japanese hedge-parsley (Torilis japonica). They're normally 2-4 feet tall, but some 6-foot specimens have been recorded in the past.

Here are a few resources that provide a description as well as management information for Japanese hedge-parsley (bulletin attached).

https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/erect-hedgeparsley.html

https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Invasives/fact/JapaneseHedgeparsley

It's biennial and produces flowers and seeds in the second year. You'll want to prevent it from going to seed by using a mower, a weed whip, or hand-pulling.

I couldn't find any direct reference to phototoxicity. It's probably safe to handle with bare hands. Because the carrot family is famous for producing compounds that irritate the skin, however, it might be prudent to wear long sleeves and gloves when you're clearing it all out.

Depending on how long it has been growing back there, you may have to do this for several seasons.

I hope this helps! Let me know if I can be of further assistance.