Suomi
Svenska
Cowbane
Cicuta virosa
Identify the Cowbane from a photo and log your finds with Florapass.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play.
Cowbane is a tall, water‑loving plant with many small white flower clusters shaped like an umbrella. It is most often seen on the edges of ponds, lakes, slow rivers and ditches, sometimes standing in shallow water. All parts are extremely poisonous, especially the thick root.
Did you know?
- The species name virosa refers to the strong smell of the root.
- All parts are extremely poisonous; the root is the most dangerous.
About the species
Identification
Cowbane is a tall, water‑loving plant, 30–150 cm. Stems smooth, hairless, hollow and faintly grooved. Leaves are divided once or twice into many long, narrow, sharply toothed pieces; the stalks are hollow and their bases wrap around the stem. White flowers appear in many small clusters grouped into larger, umbrella‑like heads. Later it carries tiny, almost round, brown seeds. It often grows in or right beside water, which helps separate it from look‑alikes. Unlike hemlock, its stems lack purple blotches. Do not handle the thick, chambered root: it is highly poisonous. Blooms in Finland in July–August.
Plant group
Herbaceous plants
Habitat
shore
Toxicity
A very poisonous plant – do not taste any part of it. Source: HUS Poison Information Centre (Finland), tel. 0800 147 111.
Flowering
Jul–Aug
About the habitat
Shallow water and soft, muddy edges of ponds, lakes, slow rivers and ditches; also wet flood meadows and rich fens, and sometimes slightly brackish bays. Common almost throughout the country; rare in northern Lapland.
Sources
Photo: Валерия Ковалева, CC BY 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cicuta virosa 214078204.jpg
Text: Pinkka: Verso- ja leviäintunnistus - Kaikki leviäimet, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39223
Text: Pinkka: Verso- ja leviäintunnistus - Kaikki versot, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39223
Text: Pinkka: BIO-503 Suomen kasvisto ja kasvillisuus - Itämeri: ruovikkorannat, CC BY 4.0 https://laji.fi/taxon/MX.39223
Text: Wikipedia (Finnish), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrkkykeiso
