Hedge Parsley and Hemlock are different plants, but as they fall in the same plant family, they resemble each other in many ways.
Learn more about distinguishing Hemlock and Hedge Parsley from the article below to sidestep the toxic one.
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Hedge Parsley Vs Hemlock [Overview & Facts]
Hedge Parsley and Hemlock are two different plants that share a few similarities.
Although similar to look at first glance, they also have many differences.
Hedge Parsley (Torilis arvensis) and Hemlocks (Conium maculatum) belong to the plant family Umbelliferae (Apiacea).
Furthermore, Hemlocks and Hedge Parsley come from the same plant family, associating themselves with Carrot, Coriander (Cilantro), Parsley, and Celery.
Some common similarities between Hedge Parsley and Hemlock are their native range, inflorescence, and size.
I. Hedge Parsley & Hemlock: Common Similarities
Let’s see some lowkey similarities between Hedge Parsley and Hemlock below.
1. Native Range
Hedge Parsley is native to most parts of Asia and a few parts of Northern Africa, occupying a temperate biome.
Although occupying a similar distribution and habitat, a native population of Hemlock is also present in a few parts of Europe.
2. Inflorescence/ Flowers
Since Hedge Parsley and Hemlock belong to the same plant family, they both have Umbel-shaped (umbrella-like) inflorescence.
Additionally, Hedge Parsley and Hemlock bear clusters of creamy white flowers and bloom during the summer.
3. Plant Size
As upright herbaceous plants, Hemlock and Hedge Parsley grow to a similar average height of 6 feet and 2-4 feet wide.
However, their overall spread and height depend on the environmental conditions.
II. Hedge Parsley Vs Hemlock: Differences
Hedge Parsley and Hemlock have many thorough differences in the shapes and structure of plant parts, habits, and toxicity.
1. Plant Parts.
The common plant parts that can be helpful to discern both the plants are leaves, flower petals, and stems.
Let’s look at the differences from the table below.
| Characteristics | Hedge Parsley | Hemlock |
|---|---|---|
| Leaves | Color: Green (Matte) Smell: Mild Parsley Like Hairs: Present Leaflets: 3-7 | Color: Dark Green (Glossy) Smell: Strong & Unpleasant Hairs: Absent Leaflets: 3-13 |
| Stems | Color: Plain Green Hairs: Present Stems are solid | Color: Green With Purple Blotches Hairs: Absent Stems are hollow |
| Flowers | Shape: Lobed Petals | Shape: Free Petals |
2. Plant Habit
Poison Hemlock is a biennial plant taking with flowering and fruiting occurring during the second year of its growth, where the plant seeds profusely.
However, Hedge Parsley is an annual plant that completes its lifecycle in the first year of its growth and ends by producing seeds.
3. Plant Toxicity
Hemlock is poisonous, so you should not touch or interact with its parts.
However, Hedge Parsley is comparatively safe but is not actually edible. It just doesn’t have the toxic chemical traits of Hemlock.
4. Seed Pods
The seed pods of Poison Hemlock contain ridges and furrows with minute hairs.
While the mature seed pods of Hedge Parsley have stiff hairs without ridges and furrows.
From Editorial Team
Invasiveness of Plants!
Poison Hemlock and Hedge Parsley are both invasive plants outside their native range.
Hence, it’s better to uproot and manage the plants to prevent them from invading the open habitats.
