Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
Cicuta virosa L. belongs to Apiaceae. Kew records it as a perennial or helophyte. Water hemlock is distinct from poison hemlock. A wet habitat is insufficient to identify a plant intended for picking.
Also known as: No synonyms listed.
Water hemlock is distinct from poison hemlock. A wet habitat is insufficient to identify a plant intended for picking. A photograph alone cannot establish identification for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Documentary reference — aerial parts
ANSM lists Cicuta virosa for the following material: aerial parts. Inclusion in List B signals that potential adverse effects outweigh the expected therapeutic benefit. The entry does not establish clinical efficacy.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
The following warnings do not constitute a complete review of interactions or contraindications. An unstudied combination cannot be considered compatible.
Contraindications & precautions
- Safety precaution: do not use this material for self-medication or in a home preparation.
- The BfR explicitly lists Cicuta virosa among highly poisonous plants; no home use is proposed.
Medicine interactions
- Interactions specific to this species and each preparation are not established by this notice’s documentary sources. This does not establish compatibility with medicines.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- List B flags a risk without detailing mechanisms, frequency or every adverse effect in this entry. Missing detail is not reassurance.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: no home use is proposed; this notice does not establish evidence supporting use in these situations.
Children & adolescents
Do not give to children on the basis of this notice. A botanical inventory is not a paediatric safety evaluation.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- ANSM — French Pharmacopoeia, List B, January 2026, p. 4Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew — Plants of the World Online : Cicuta virosa L.Accessed on 09/10/2026
- BfR — Risque d’intoxication chez l’enfant, annexe plantes, p. 78Accessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Maria Kohanovskaya · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.