A warning has been issued over a common garden weed that could potentially kill humans or animals if eaten.
Poison hemlock, which is a Class B noxious weed, is a common biennial plant in the Carrot Family that grows in sunny areas, fields, vacant lots, and on roadsides. Eating even a small amount of any part of this plant can kill people, livestock, and wildlife.
It is often confused with carrots or parsnips, the Irish Sun reports.
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Hemlock is most commonly seen in June and July and can grow up to 2m in height, with white umbrella-like clusters sprouting up.
"A tall, upright plant, hemlock can be distinguished by the distinctive and unpleasant, mousy smell of its foliage and its purple-spotted stems. Its leaves are finely divided and large, and its flowers are small and white and appear in umbrella-like clusters," the WildlifeTrust has stated, in helping people to recognise the poisonous plant.
Hemlock's toxins are alkaloids, with coniine and gamma-coniceine, which cause muscular paralysis, leading to respiratory failure and eventually death.
Only a tiny amount of Hemlock can prove fatal to a human or to livestock.
Interestingly, Hemlock was given to famous Greek philosopher Socrates at his execution.
The poisonous plant was also recently linked to a number of dog deaths in Northern Ireland last month. Dog owners are being asked to be vigilant.
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