Veratrum viride – Indian poke
Indian poke/False hellebore (Veratrum viride) is a native plant that is extremely toxic. It could be confused for ramps in the spring. This perennial plant can be found in swamps and moist meadows. The plant produces ribbed leaves that grow in a whorled pattern. Small yellow-green flowers appear in early summer. The entire plant […]
Celastrus orbiculatus – Oriental bittersweet
Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is an invasive and toxic vine. It can be found climbing up autumn olive shrubs and confuse people for autumn olive berries. The plant was brought to the U.S. for ornamental use but has escaped cultivation and chokes out native plants. Oriental bittersweet is a perennial vine with alternate toothed leaves. […]
Hypholoma fasciculare – Sulfur Tuft
Sulfur tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare) is a toxic look alike to the edible brick cap mushroom (Hypholoma lateritium) and honey mushrooms (Armillaria spp.). It can be found April-November on decaying hardwoods and conifers. The mushroom grows in dense clusters with converging stems. The cap is a sulfur yellow color with whitish edges. Gills are covered by […]
Scleroderma citrinum – Common Earthball
Common earthball (Scleroderma citrinum) is a toxic look-a-like to puffballs. It fruits late summer-early winter in mossy areas with sandy soil. Common earthballs have a tougher exterior than puffballs. The exterior will be a yellow-brown color. Earthballs have a grayish to purplish-black interior. Puffballs should be pure white inside when consumed. Toxic earthballs must be […]
Menispermum canadense – Common Moonseed
Common moonseed (Menispermum canadense) is a perennial native vine that produces clusters of blue-black berries in the fall. It is a toxic look-a-like to grapes. Common moonseed grows in clearings of woodlands. It can be differentiated from grapes by its smooth leaves and lack of tendrils. Berries have a single crescent-shaped seed inside. Grapes have […]
Omphalotus illudens – Jack O’lantern
The Jack O’lantern mushroom (Omphalotus illudens) is the toxic look-a-like to edible chanterelles and chicken of the woods mushrooms. Jack o’lanterns fruit summer-fall on decaying hardwood and buried roots. They fruit in clusters with their stems often converging at their base. Jack o’lanterns can be identified by their pumpkin orange color and true gills which […]
Amanita chrysoblema – American Fly Agaric
The American Fly Agaric, yellow-orange variant (Amanita chrysoblema) is toxic, psychoactive, or edible depending on preparation. It fruits often in the fall and occasionally in the spring. This species was previously called Amanita muscaria var. guessowii. The American fly agaric is often found growing mycorrhizally with conifers but can also associate with deciduous trees. […]
Taxus canadensis – Canada Yew
Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) is a native species of yew that can be found growing wild in CT in forested areas. The plant is nearly all toxic. Yew has pointed needle-like leaves that grow in two lateral rows along the branch. The plant produces red arils (berry-like seed coverings) in late summer. The berries can […]
Rhodotypos scandens – Black jetbead
Black jetbead (Rhodotypos scandens) is an invasive plant in the rose family that is highly toxic. Black jetbead is native to Asia and was introduced to the United States as an ornamental. It can be found in forests and along roadsides. Black jetbead produces white flowers in the spring. In the fall, the plant produces […]
Galerina marginata – Deadly Galerina
The Deadly Galerina (Galerina marginata) is the deadly toxic look-alike to edible honey mushrooms (Armillaria spp.) and enoki (Flammulina velutipes). The deadly galerina grows scattered or in small clusters on hardwood or conifer logs. It generally fruits June-October. The cap is orange-brown to dark brown and sticky. Gills are yellow, becoming rusty-brown with age. The […]
Symphytum officinale – Common Comfrey
Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) is a non-native perennial that has been used for food and medicine for thousands of years. Comfrey can be found on roadsides, old fields, and old homesteads. It can grow in moderate shade to full sun in rich, well-drained soil. Once a colony has been established, it can live for centuries. […]
Asarum canadense – Wild Ginger
Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) is a native perennial that can be found in moist woodlands. Wild ginger often forms dense colonies by rhizome. It can be found at the base of rocky slopes and along rivers. It prefers partial to full shade. Wild ginger has heart-shaped leaves that are usually in pairs. It produces […]
Cicuta spp. – Water Hemlock
Water hemlock (Cicuta spp.) is the most toxic plant in North America. Water hemlock contains cicutoxin which acts on the central nervous system causing seizures and often death. All parts of the plant are toxic, although the roots contain the highest levels of cicutoxin. Treatment for water hemlock poisoning includes activated charcoal and anticonvulsant medications. […]