Fennel
Extra care neededFennel has yellow umbels; young plants still require a full botanical key.
Toxic · do not eat
Poison hemlock.
Conium maculatum
Also found as Hemlock
A potentially fatal carrot-family plant that must be learned alongside edible-looking umbels.
Sources checked 9 September 2026 · Specialist field review pending
Toxic. Keep out of food and tea.
Poison help All parts are highly poisonous. Small amounts can be fatal; obtain urgent poison-service advice after exposure.
Where it grows
Tracked records and known growing zone
- Verified records
- 39,571
- People who recorded it
- 19,569
- Most records (northern hemisphere)
- Apr–Jun
- Records span
- 1981–2026
| January | 895 |
|---|---|
| February | 1526 |
| March | 3140 |
| April | 6940 |
| May | 9028 |
| June | 8327 |
| July | 2775 |
| August | 865 |
| September | 635 |
| October | 591 |
| November | 711 |
| December | 725 |
| January | 258 |
|---|---|
| February | 130 |
| March | 138 |
| April | 417 |
| May | 183 |
| June | 127 |
| July | 174 |
| August | 281 |
| September | 377 |
| October | 466 |
| November | 506 |
| December | 356 |
Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.
01 / Learn to see
Field marks
- 01
Smooth, hollow stems often marked with purple blotches.
- 02
Alternate, finely divided, roughly triangular leaves.
- 03
White flowers in compound umbels; first-year plants may have only a rosette.
These are study prompts, not a complete identification key. Confirm the full plant with a regional flora and an experienced local identifier.
02 / Resolve the differences
Look closely. Compare.
Common yarrow
Study firstYarrow has miniature daisy heads, not true umbels.
Selected comparisons only. Other lookalikes may occur locally.
03 / Meet the place
Habitat & season
Range context
European and Mediterranean origin; naturalized widely, including North America.
Watch the plant stage
Hazard exists at every growth stage, including before flowers appear.
Stage guidance is not a local forecast. Check your climate, elevation and a regional source; no month-shift formula is used here.
04 / Gather with care
Observe. Leave intact.
Do not eat, brew, taste or collect for the pantry.
Care for the patch
Keep a distance and report suspected plants to the local land manager; do not improvise removal.
Preparation & storage essentials05 / Follow the evidence
Sources & review
- University of Minnesota Extension · Poison hemlockBotanical description, range and documented use
Checked 9 September 2026. Original editorial synthesis; source institutions have not reviewed or endorsed this guide. Independent botanical field review is pending. Photos illustrate specimens; they do not certify the identity of a plant you find.
Suggest a correction