Overview

• Field to Farm’s video revealing a UK field entirely covered in poison hemlock has been shared widely on social media.
• Experts warn that consuming just four or five hemlock leaves can be fatal within hours and that its sap may cause severe skin blistering.
• Hemlock’s summer blooms resemble wild carrot, but a foul odor and purple-speckled stems serve as reliable identification markers.
• In Milton Keynes, council crews cleared eight-foot-high hemlock following resident complaints, exposing gaps in routine land monitoring.
• Authorities advise wearing protective gear and taking regular breaks during removal since all parts remain toxic and dead stalks can retain potency for up to three years.