Author Topic: Is this safe to graze around or not (Read 6385 times)

Twotwo · « **on:** August 25, 2017, 10:25:38 pm »

I think this a member of Apiaceae family, i.e. Parsley, hemlock, it is growing on a damp bank under trees, can I let my sheep graze around it or is it poisonous!

YorkshireLass · « **Reply #1 on:** August 26, 2017, 09:10:01 am »

Can't really really tell from that picture, can you get a clear shot of a leaf and the stem?

Fleecewife · « **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2017, 12:11:26 pm »

The possibility of making an error in ID of the cow parsley/hemlock/pig nut type of umbellifers is too great to make an ID from your pic. Be very sure it's not a poisonous variety such as hemlock. Some better pics of individual stems against a plain backdrop, and close-ups of flowers, leaves and stems would help, plus an idea of height.

Twotwo · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2017, 12:30:44 pm »

Ok will cut a stem and leaves ( with care !) later and photo. It is about 1-1/2 meters tall . It doesn't seem to have the feathery leaves of hemlock.

Twotwo · « **Reply #4 on:** August 26, 2017, 05:07:22 pm »

Photo taken ! Have looked back at previous posts and on line, I'm pretty sure it's common hogweed but like others opinion. If that is the case, I guess it's ok for the sheep to graze around it.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2017, 11:20:02 am »

No it's not hogweed - the leaves of hogweed are not divided where this has separate leaves down the stalk.

The only thing I can see which looks like the leaves, stem and flowers plus location is lesser water parsnip.
However, the flower heads on yours don't have any bracts beneath them, where water parsnip does.

You could just feed it to your animals and see what happens

No, I don't mean that.

Twotwo · « **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2017, 02:25:50 pm »

Thanks Fleecewife yes you are right not hogweed ... we now think it is wild Angelica. Yet another member of the umbellifer family. As far as I can find out it's ok to let them graze around it ...your thoughts

Twotwo · « **Reply #7 on:** August 27, 2017, 05:37:30 pm »

My it's good from my plant identification, I'm walking the fields and lanes studying leaf shapes etc

Fleecewife · « **Reply #8 on:** August 27, 2017, 09:07:20 pm »

Just scared myself by looking up Cowbane. It's so hard from pics to make a firm ID but it's even got the pinky/purple stems, right shaped flowers and from some images the right growth habit. It's very poisonous.
I think you might need an expert ID to be safe.
https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/common-water-hemlock

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2017, 07:43:43 am »

I'm pretty sure thats water parsnip. I have loads here and its a real pest. It grows in gravel in a stream and clogs it up, the roots trap soil particles and the stream is totally silted up with water parsonip. One site said to spray it with gypsoate before it flowered but I'm hesitant to spray chemicals around water and couldn't find other sites saying it was ok so thought best to not to. The sheep do eat it sometimes