Poisonous Plants in Vermont

False hellebore (Veratrum viride) is a leafy plant native to Vermont that comes up very early in the spring. False hellebore can be found almost anywhere in Vermont, like backyards, forests, roadsides, or anywhere there is wet soil. It is also known by other common names such as Indian poke, Indian hellebore, American white hellebore, or bunchflowers. Some people may call false hellebore "skunk cabbage."

When it is only a few inches tall, the false hellebore plant is easily confused with ramps or wild leeks, which people harvest to eat. False hellebore is toxic when eaten. It is not toxic if you touch it. False hellebore is also toxic to pets and livestock, which experience similar symptoms as humans.

The Health Department advises people foraging for ramps to know how to correctly identify them.

How can I tell if it's false hellebore?

Ramps typically smell like onion or garlic when the leaves are broken. False hellebore does not have this smell. 

However, the smell alone does not guarantee that a plant you’ve picked is a ramp. Make sure to do your research before you go out, and be certain you know how to identify ramps. Consider taking a foraging class from a trusted organization.

What happens if I eat false hellebore?

False hellebore contains many different chemicals, called steroidal alkaloids, in all parts of the plant. Steroidal alkaloids change the way that cells regulate sodium concentrations inside themselves. Sodium concentration inside our cells is very tightly regulated, and when that goes awry, our bodies can become sick very quickly. 

Eating false hellebore can cause dangerous changes in your heart, and you should seek immediate medical care. If you eat false hellebore, you may notice symptoms within 30 minutes to 4 hours after eating it. 

Typically, you will have severe nausea and vomiting first. Then you may notice a slowed heartbeat and a drop in blood pressure. Other symptoms may include:

• Slowed breathing
• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Numbness and tingling
• Sweating and drooling

What do I do if I eat false hellebore?

If you’ve eaten false hellebore, do not wait for symptoms to appear. Contact the Northern New England Poison Center right away by calling 1-800-222-1222. You can also chat online or text “poison” to 85511. 

In most cases, people who have eaten false hellebore will need to go to the hospital. The effects on the heart need to be managed by medical professionals, and the poison center will advise the hospital staff on how best to treat people.

Find photos and more information about false hellebore
Find photos and more information about ramps (wild leeks)

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Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a large invasive plant that grows in moist, disturbed soils along riverbanks, roadsides, ditches and fields. It isn’t common in Vermont, but it has been found in some areas. 

Giant hogweed produces a sap that can cause painful burns or blisters, redness and swelling, scarring or long-lasting discoloration to your skin in the presence of sunlight. If you get sap in your eyes, you could experience temporary or permanent vision loss.

Do not touch giant hogweed. 

How can I tell if it's giant hogweed?

Look for these characteristics:

• Height: 10 to 14 feet tall, with stems up to 4 inches thick!.
• Leaves: Very large, deeply lobed, and can reach 5 feet across.
• Stem: Hollow and ridged, with purple blotches and coarse white hairs.
• Flowers: Large white flower clusters in umbrella-like shapes, early to mid-summer.
• Look-alikes: May be confused with native species, like cow parsnip, or other look-alikes, like wild parsnip and angelica.

If you see giant hogweed, please report it to Vermont Invasives so they can remove it to help stop it from spreading.

What if I come into contact with giant hogweed?

If you get sap on your skin:

• Wash the affected area right away with soap and cold water.
• Cover your skin to keep the area out of sunlight for at least 48 hours.
• If blisters or a rash appear, contact your health care provider.

If sap gets into your eyes:

• Rinse with water and seek medical attention immediately.

What if I need to work with giant hogweed?

• Wear protective clothing, including gloves, long sleeves, pants, and eye protection, when working near the plant.
• Do not mow or burn giant hogweed. Cutting or disturbing the plant can spread sap or seeds and increase health risks.
• Wash any tools, gloves, or clothing that may have come into contact with the plant.

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Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is a common plant that grows all over Vermont, especially in wooded areas. It can grow as a climbing vine, a shrub, or even a small tree. Poison ivy is found throughout Vermont, especially in wooded areas, either wet or dry. 

Poison ivy produces an oil, called urushiol, that can irritate your skin and cause an intensely itchy rash. Every part of the plant contains the oil. You can get a reaction from coming into contact with poison ivy or from touching things that have come into contact with it, like clothing, pets, or garden tools. Do not burn poison ivy because breathing in the smoke can cause serious health effects.

How can I tell if it's poison ivy?

You may have heard the saying, “Leaves of three, let it be!”. This is because poison ivy's leaves grow in groups of three. Look for leaves of three and these other characteristics:

• Height: 1 to 3 feet as a shrub, 6 to 20 feet as a vine.
• Leaves: Compound with three leaflets. The middle leaflet is usually longer. Leaves may be glossy and edges can be lobbed or serrated. Color varies: young leaves may be red, while more mature ones are a glossy green. In the fall, the leaves transition to yellow or red, but can still cause skin rashes.
• Stem: Short bush or woody vine (vines appear “hairy” when growing up tree trunks).
• Flowers: Clusters of small white or green flowers in the summer, followed by white berries in fall and winter.
• Look-alikes: Hog-peanut vine, young box elder trees, Virginia creeper vine

What if I come into contact with poison ivy?

If you come into contact with poison ivy:

• Wash any areas that came into contact with poison ivy as soon as possible. 
• Use a skin cleanser made for urushiol (for example, Tecnu), which can remove the oil from your skin before it forms a rash. 
• If you don't have a special cleanser available, remove any clothes that might have the oil on them, and wash your body thoroughly with soap and water.

What if I need to work with poison ivy?

• Always wear gloves, and wear other protective clothing, like long sleeves and pants.
• Wash up immediately after being outside.
• Keep clothes that may have come into contact with poison ivy away from your skin.
• Wash your clothes and any tools, gloves or anything else that may have come into contact with poison ivy.

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Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix) is a native shrub related to poison ivy, although it is less common than poison ivy. Poison sumac is found in  Vermont's wetlands, swamps, bogs and wet thickets. 

Like poison ivy, poison sumac produces an oil, called urushiol, that can irritate your skin and cause painful, itchy blisters and rashes. Every part of the plant contains the oil. You can get a reaction from coming into contact with poison sumac or from touching things that have come into contact with it, like clothing, pets, or garden tools. Do not burn poison sumac because breathing in the smoke can cause serious health effects.

How can I tell if it's poison sumac?

Look for these characteristics:

• Height: Grows up to 20 to 30 feet tall, as a shrub or small tree.
• Leaves: Compound, typically with 7 to 13 shiny, smooth leaflets. Leaflets are alternately arranged, up to 2 to 4 inches long, and the leaf stems are often red or have spots.
• Stem: Woody trunk.
• Flowers: Clusters of small white or green flowers in the summer, followed by white berries in fall and winter.
• Look-alikes: Staghorn sumac, which has fuzzy stems and grows in clusters, unlike poison sumac.

What if I come into contact with poison sumac?

If you come into contact with poison sumac:

• Wash any areas that came into contact with poison sumac as soon as possible. 
• Use a skin cleanser made for urushiol (for example, Tecnu), which can remove the oil from your skin before it forms a rash. 
• If you don't have a special cleanser available, remove any clothes that might have the oil on them, and wash your body thoroughly with soap and water.

What if I need to work with poison sumac?

• Always wear gloves, and wear other protective clothing, like long sleeves and pants.
• Wash up immediately after being outside.
• Keep clothes that may have come into contact with poison sumac away from your skin.
• Wash your clothes and any tools, gloves or anything else that may have come into contact with poison sumac.

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Stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) is a perennial plant found in most of North America, including Vermont. It likes moist soil and commonly grows along stream banks, ditches and disturbed areas.

The leaves and stems of this plant are covered in fine, stinging hairs that act like tiny needles that release chemicals into your skin when you brush up against them. You might feel a burning or stinging sensation followed by an itchy, bumpy rash that lasts for a few hours.

How can I tell if it's stinging nettle?

Look for these characteristics:

• Height: 2 to 8 feet tall.
• Leaves: Heart-shaped and jagged, with visible stinging hairs.
• Stem: Typically square with stinging hairs.
• Flowers: Clusters of tiny green flowers in the summer.
• Look-alikes: Canadian clearweed and false nettle.

What if I come into contact with stinging nettle?

If you come into contact with stinging nettle:

• Wash the affected area immediately to wash away chemicals and remove stinging hairs. 
• You may get a stinging, burning, itchy and bumpy rash that goes away after a few hours. 
• If you still have a rash after 24 hours or it gets worse, contact your health care provider.

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Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) is a fast-growing woody vine that is common across Vermont. It often climbs up trees, fences, rock walls and buildings. This native plant is part of the grape family and sometimes planted for decoration, but it also grows in the wild and provides food and cover for birds and insects.

All parts of the Virginia creeper plant contain tiny crystals, called oxalate crystals. These crystals can irritate your skin or cause stomach problems if eaten. The berries are especially toxic to people and pets if eaten. Children are especially at risk since the berries look like small grapes.

Do not eat the berries of Virginia creeper.

How can I tell if it's Virginia creeper?

Virginia creeper is a woody vine that likes to climb. The plant grows small, dark blue berries in the fall that are toxic to people and pets.

• Height: 8 to 20 feet tall.
• Leaves: 5 leaflets per leaf. Leaves turn bright red in the fall.
• Stem: Flexible woody vine.
• Flowers: Clusters of tiny white-pink flowers followed by loose clusters of small, dark blue berries.
• Look-alikes: Boston ivy and poison ivy. The berries may look like wild grapes, but they are not safe to eat.

What happens if I eat Virginia creeper?

Eating any part of the Virginia creeper plant can cause stomach problems, and its berries are especially toxic. Symptoms may include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Mouth or throat irritation
• Skin irritation and blisters

In rare cases, eating large amounts of the plant may cause more serious symptoms and require immediate medical attention.

If you’ve eaten Virginia creeper berries, do not wait for symptoms to appear. 

• Contact the Northern New England Poison Center right away by calling 1-800-222-1222. You can also chat online or text “poison” to 85511. 
• Call 9-1-1 if you are having a serious reaction, like difficulty breathing or feeling lightheaded.

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Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L.) is an invasive species that is very common in many parts of Vermont. The plants grow wild along roadsides and other unmaintained areas. They produce yellow flowers that look like Queen Anne’s Lace. Most people refer to wild parsnip as "poison parsnip."

Although this is the same plant as the common garden parsnip we eat in soups and stews, the flower heads are the second-year growth from the carrot-like roots. Wild parsnip produces a sap that can cause burns to the skin in the presence of sunlight. In some cases, the burns are like second-degree sunburns that can cause painful rashes and raised blisters.

The Health Department advises people to stay away from direct skin and eye contact with wild parsnip sap. 

How can I tell if it's wild parsnip?

• Height: Up to 5 feet tall
• Leaves: Resemble large celery leaves. They are yellow-green, coarsely toothed and compound with 3 to 5 leaflets.
• Stem: Hollow, grooved and hairless.  
• Flowers: Small, yellow flowers clustered together in a flat top that is about 3 to 8 inches across that look similar to Queen Anne’s Lace.

What happens if I come into contact with wild parsnip?

If you come into contact with wild parsnip:

• Wash your skin thoroughly with soap and water as soon as possible.
• Protect the area from sunlight for at least 48 hours.
• If you experience a skin reaction, call your health care provider.

What if I need to work with wild parsnip?

• Work with the plant on cloudy days.
• Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs.
• Wash all clothes that come into contact with the sap.
• Always wash your skin immediately after coming into contact with the sap.

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