The One Wild Idaho Herb That If Eaten Will Likely Kill Anything
Idaho is home to numerous plants and herbs that are edible or possess health benefits. There are a couple of species that if misidentified and ingested by animals or humans can have rapid, fatal consequences.
The Gem State has more than a dozen wild plants that can be eaten or used to treat minor ailments. These species include Shortstyle Onion, Wild Ginger, Serviceberry, and more than 10 others, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.
Idaho news agencies every year about this time remind the public about poisonous herbs, weeds, and plants that grow wild throughout the state. One of these species in particular possesses enough toxicity to kill anything from a human to a horse.
Poison Hemlock grows all across the Gem State and is the one herb you want to avoid contact with at all costs. With spring beginning in roughly one month, many people in Idaho will start to head back outdoors to area trails with their dogs for exercise or adventure.
The Hemlock can be identified by the cluster of white flowers at the plant's bud, and has long, whispy pedals that resemble those of a fern. The herbaceous plant is most potent in the spring. Ingestion or excessive exposure can cause symptoms as fast as a few minutes and include esophageal burning, rapid heart rate, loss of speech and consciousness, convulsions, and eventually coma or death.
Please be careful when you're outdoors this spring, and watch after your dogs especially, as they are more likely to try to consume this deadly herb.