Help! Cow parsley v hemlock

[brigadier]

OMG I didnt realise they were so similar, in fact until it appeared in my BHS Rider mag I didnt even think hermlock looked like cow parsley (though what I thought it looked like I dont know) but the other day I picked some and threw it to the horses as both Basil and Toudle love it, thankfully it must have been cow parsley as they didnt go into respiratory distress and die!! Now Im driving along looking at the verges trying to tell the difference and TBH I cant. Talk about a close shave.

I think hemlock has a purplish stem but that seems to be the only difference- anyone else know? The pics on google etc dont really help and the picture in the rider mag looks like cow parsley to me

I think I will avoid all!

[racaille]

Agghhhh! I feel for you - we have a yellow flower here that looks awfully like ragwort, although it's not. Glad your little herd are all fine.

[haffyfan]

well i thought cow parsley was just another anme for hemlock... sounds like it's not such a bad thing to have thought though as i just went into poisonous mode if i saw it

[solomon]

Ours eat it all the time! I guess we must have mainly cow parsley!

[brigadier]

Sol, its really importantyou know the difference or simply dont allow them access. Its tricky to tell so please be careful. Fromt he research Ive done I think the rider mag has got the wrong pic as well and it looks like cowparsley comes first up North.

[rainbow]

since finding out about hemlock im too now looking at cow parsley thinking is or it isnt it!