Cicuta sp.
Water-hemlock, Water-Hemlock
Family: Apiaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Cicuta sp. (Water-hemlock) is a native California perennial in the Apiaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Conium: Cicuta has green stems and sap that turns red-brown; Conium has purple-spotted stems.; vs Angelica: Cicuta sap turns reddish-brown in air; Angelica lacks this color-changing sap.; vs Oenanthe: Cicuta spreads from rhizomes with color-changing sap; Oenanthe has tuberous roots with crowned fruits.; vs Sambucus: Sambucus is a woody shrub with compound leaves; Cicuta is an herbaceous wetland plant.; vs Perideridia: Cicuta grows in wetlands from rhizomes; Perideridia grows in dry grasslands from tubers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cicuta sp. native to California?
Yes. Cicuta sp. is native to California (recorded as native).
What plant family does Cicuta sp. belong to?
Cicuta sp. is in the Apiaceae family, genus Cicuta.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cicuta douglasii — Western water hemlock
- Cicuta maculata — Water hemlock
- Cicuta maculata var. angustifolia — Narrow leafed water hemlock
- Cicuta maculata var. bolanderi — Bolander's water-hemlock
- Conioselinum pacificum — Hemlock parsley
- Conioselinum sp.
- Conium maculatum — Poison hemlock
- Conium sp. — Poison hemlock
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.