I have a liking for the umbellifers as subjects for my camera. Something of their structure … appeals. This one is the notorious hemlock, sickener (killer?) of reckless boys who cut the hollow stalks to make pea-shooters of them. This plant is poisonous. Ask Socrates.
Tall hemlock stalks in silhouette: 27 November 2018
These 8′ tall end-of-season stalks stand stark against the gathering storm clouds. Apt, I think, as the #2018picoftheweek title Moody.
I love this photo! The colours, the lines. Perfect for the “moody” prompt. I would have had no idea that it was hemlock. Good thing I’m not prone to making tea from strange plants!
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I don’t know exactly how poisonous it is. As a kind I was warned not to make pea-shooters from its stalks. But we know how parents like to exagerate. On the other hand, it was what was used to kill Socrates.
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Beautifully moody.
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I thank you. Last one of the year. A new set of titles for 2019. I’m excited!
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Ooohhh… You are so organised.
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Photography and writing. Not much else that competes.
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😀
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I’m slow to catch, today. Just realised what you meant by being organised. No, I’m not responsib;e for the titles; they’re given, the year in advance, by Maria Antonia, who sets the challenge.
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Gorgeous image. I’m afraid I wouldn’t know hemlock if I saw it, though in light of what happened to poor Socrates, perhaps I should! Am only just getting to know Giant hogweed after I spotted a tall umbellifer growing in my own garden. Still not sure if it was angelica or a white valerian, though possibly angelica as it did irritate the skin a little, though not like hogweed would, thankfully! Just too many plants to identify. Looking forward to seeing your 2019 pics
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Now, there’s hogweed, which as a kid I harvested for my brothers rabbits. And there’s the spoky-leaved Giant Hogweed, which I would stay well away from. Although in many wayes Valerian resembles the imbellifers, it has glaucus, almost succulent leaves … a sign that it likes the sun. BTW, valerian yields a narcotic!
Hemlock is actually the easiest to identify. Its ribbed stalk (which might otherwise resemble angelica) is blotched with dark purple. A total give away.
There is another umbellifer, most common where Roman legions once built their forts. The yellow flowered Alexanders. The Roman used it in cooking. To this day it’s a country substitute for angelica. It has the chunkiet lobed leaves of the UK imbellifers.
But between this and that there’s a whole hedgerow of umbelliers that, to me, look almost the same. And some of those are also poisonous. They’re like the Addams Family of plants. 🙂
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I think I’d be confident identifying Giant Hogweed, just because of its size (when full grown), but the others … Could be it was angelica in my garden in the summer – I know what you mean by valerian leaves and this plant did not have the same quality. Hmm. Too many umbellifers to identify. If it comes back next summer, I’ll look for the dark purple blotches and handle with care either way – I read some members of the hogweed family can alter your DNA which is an unsettling thought! Love your fact about the Alexanders. Imagining legionnaires cutting it and popping some in a stew 🙂
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Now I chuckle, too, at the vision.
But if you’re really worried I can send you some pics of hemlick as it looks in spring and summer.
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Only if you have them handy. I don’t remember purple blotches at all and the flowers smelt rather nice, vanilla ish I’d say. Doesn’t sound like hemlock, does it?
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Photos of hemlock emailed about 1 minute ago.. Hope they’re useful. 🙂
And I’ve never notice a vanialla smell around hemlock, but then I don’t normally go sniffing it!
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Ha! Thank you those images – it’s definitely not hemlock. Hmm.
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But best to be sure.
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I checked images of angelica again and the leaves are definitely more like those, chunkier. Intruiging
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With yellow flowers?
Most umbellifers (in this country) have white or cream flowers. Some few have pink—there’s a pink version of the common hogweed; every year it attracts my camera like a magnet. But yellow flowered umbellifers aren’t so common. In fact, top of my head, I think there’s only Alexanders. Though there are one or two herbs, but they’re not native.
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White flowers, definitely. And definitely that smell. Are dill and fennel classed as umbellifers? Similar flower shape
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Indeed, both are.
So, a while flower. And leaves chucky rather than fine. Of course, it could be the Cow Parsley, or Hedge Parsley, both fairly common.
Was it growing in dry, or damp, or shady or … other, type situation?
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It grew very tall – a good seven feet some of it – and it’s roots were in the shade of the cherry tree. All Bristol soil is clay, heavy and waterlogged when it rains, baked through much of the last summer. It was very pretty, whatever it was
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Leave it with me. Once my eyes will focus I’ll check it out.
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Hope you’re feeling better soon
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Vision has cleared, hope the tabs are in time to catch the pain. Ironic, I have an appointment later today with GP!
Anyway, the only plant I can see it can be is the Wild Angelica. Wkik has several photos. Nothing else I can find grows that tall, not and have white flowers. 🙂
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angelica_sylvestris
Has to
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Definitely the right kind of leaf and it says it’s fragrant too. I had taken pics of it, trying to identify it but seem to have deleted them, dammit. If it comes up again this year …
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If you take the photo and send it to me, I’ll see if I can give you a more definite ID. But, Umbellifers … loads of them. 🙂
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Looking forward to the warm weather and when this Triffid springs forth again
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I don;’t know how well I captured it on the photos I sent you, but in the right light the delicately fern-like dark green leaves take on a silvery look. Obviously aligned to the moon?
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They are beautiful, as you say, delicate and feathery. Shame it’s so toxic, but as with plants so with people – the most attractive are often the most poisonous! 🙂
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Oh, you’re definitely right there. Yep.
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I love this, how there’s almost an ombre effect with the colours, moving from dark at the bottom to light at the top. Very moody indeed. 🙂
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I like the way Nature provides. I’m not saying I never tweak my photos, but it’s minor, no more than a change in settings I should have done on the camera. (I don’t have photoshop.)
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