Freeze Damage: Sambucus or Hemlock?

ABOVE: Hemlock or Elderberry

Is it Cicuta maculata L., spotted water hemlock, a member of the Family Apiceae – think carrots and celery -- or is it Sambucus nigra L. ssp. canadensis (L.) R. Bolli, American black elderberry, a member of the Family Caprifoliaceae – think wine, Sambuco, or honeysuckle.

It doesn't really matter. The point is it was undamaged by the extreme cold last week. For a plant with such tender leaves I was confused as to why it would have exhibited absolutely no frost or freeze damage. Once I narrowed the identification of the plant I decided not to taste the plant, to correctly identify its species. The toxic compounds found in either plant (nearly identical appearing) protect them from cold. . .and heat. . .and. . .allow them to flourish in our extreme climate. . . The toxic compounds also make them particularly dangerous to mammals.

While I had never really noticed these plants before, they now stand out on an otherwise brown landscape, covered with bright white blooms that resemble broccoli or caulifower.

BELOW: Touching hemlock is not a great idea, but I was thankfully unaffected.

Some fun facts about Hemlock: It was probably the state poison of Ancient Grece, and the purported poison used in the execution of Socrates. Though it is primarily a northern European species, rare or absent from the Mediterranean region, making its use in Greece questionable.

The species I'm fingering in the photo above contains cicutoxin, which disrupts the workings of the central nervous system. In humans, cicutoxin rapidly produces symptoms of nausea, emesis, and abdominal pain, typically within 60 minutes of ingestion. This can lead to tremors and seizures. A single bite of the root (which has the highest concentration of cicutoxin) can be sufficient to cause death. In animals the toxic dose and the lethal dose are nearly the same. One gram of water hemlock per kilogram of weight will kill a sheep and 230 grams is sufficient to kill a horse. Due to the rapid onset of symptoms, treatment is usually unsuccessful.

BELOW: My giant sunflower tree (once 25' tall), frozen to the ground, framed by a slightly damaged queen palm and a stand of unaffected bamboo. My strategy for 2009 = more queen palms, much more bamboo, and a move toward cedar species which do not freeze.


BELOW: Another frozen sunflower tree between two damaged (but not dead) queen palms.

BELOW: My prized mango and giant white bird of paradise, frozen down at least 10' from their crowns. The mango was about 25' prior to last week's freezes.