What does it smell like. I am a member of a wildcrafting group on facebook. They refuse to identify the carrot family from pictures because it is so dangerous. I have heard that hemlock smells bad. I don't have experience with it and wouldn't want you to go by that alone.

It's funny you asked that because I smelled it and now I can't remember what I mentally compared it to...

Oh yeah. Poke! I thought it smelled like poke weed.

Well. I just was keeping it to use as a cut flower if it bloomed. I have zero intention of eating it regardless of what it is. But my 15 month old is happy to taste-test anything within reach so I'm concerned about the possibility of Hemlock.

I believe it is hemlock because of the appearance of the stems. See the purple splotches on some of the stems? That is wild hemlock. Queen Anne's Lace has hairy stems with tiny fine light-colored hairs. Wild hemlock has waxier stems with purple splotches.

I'll find and link a website that has a photo of the two side-by-side so you can see the difference. To me, the purple splotches are the easiest way to tell them apart before they flower. Later on, after they have flowered and gone to seed, they also are easy to tell apart because the seedheads for the QAL curl up in a really peculiar way and look sort of like tiny bird's nests.

And, here's a website that shows the stems side by side for comparison:

Poison Hemlock Vs, Queen Anne's Lace

Thank you. I was afraid of that. I'll dig it out while Wren is napping.

You're welcome, Alexis, and I do agree with albert_135. Having the peace of mind that nothing can hurt Wren is priceless.

I had my husband's landscaping guys dig it out and throw it away for me so I didn't have to touch it. Ha problem solved!