Can Poison Hemlock cause toxicity in nearby food plants? - Ask Extension
I found what could be young Poison Hemlock plants growing within a foot of my tomato and bush bean plants. The suspect plants were about 1 to 2 feet ...
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Can Poison Hemlock cause toxicity in nearby food plants? #718323
Asked August 27, 2020, 5:53 PM EDT
I found what could be young Poison Hemlock plants growing within a foot of my tomato and bush bean plants. The suspect plants were about 1 to 2 feet tall.
A tomato plant with ripe fruit was 6 to 12 inches from one of the plants. I have other food plants between 1 to 6 feet and more distant from where they were. The main
question is whether the beans and tomatoes are safe to eat after removal of suspect plants. Can Poison Hemlock cause toxicity buildup in nearby soil, and can
other food crops take up those alkaloids? If the answer is yes, what remediation do I need to do to my pea patch beyond removing suspect plants with their roots?
King County Washington
Expert Response
This looks more like wild carrot, Daucus carota, can't be certain. If you smell the root, and it smells like carrot, it's wild carrot. Poison hemlock has a musty, unpleasant smell.
However, even if it was poison hemlock, it will not poison your garden nor an any way affect your plants other than the competition for resources. But you wouldn't want it growing in your garden, certainly. It is essential that you remove the entire taproot and all the flowers before they can seed.
However, even if it was poison hemlock, it will not poison your garden nor an any way affect your plants other than the competition for resources. But you wouldn't want it growing in your garden, certainly. It is essential that you remove the entire taproot and all the flowers before they can seed.
Are there any research references you can give me on this? Have people actually tried to detect the poison substances from Poison Hemlock in surrounding soil or plants?
