Hello gentle reader and welcome to mid-summer! The beautiful Queen Anne’s Lace is in full bloom. Yarrow is still out and about, and so is the poisonous Water Hemlock. These three plants look quite similar, so it behooves you to know the difference between them, especially since one of them is quite dangerous.
Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota):
Yarrow leaf:
https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/logan-ut/poisonous-plant-research/docs/water-hemlock-cicuta-douglasii/
https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/cicuta_maculata.shtml
a cautionary tale: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00026056.htm
Ultimately, the safest rule of thumb is that if you don’t know what it is, don’t touch it. If you are unsure of the soil conditions in the area, don’t harvest it. Take a photo and ask your herbal community to help you ID the plant.
Enjoy the rest of your summer!
