Plant that can kill found on Cornwall beaches

Dog walkers in Cornwall have once again been warned after a highly toxic root plant was discovered on beaches.

The National Coastwatch Institution St Ives have put out a warning about the highly dangerous plant alongside a photograph in a bid to help beach walkers and dog owners identify it. 

The post reads: “This very poisonous Hemlock also known as ‘dead man’s fingers’ has been spotted on a few beaches around our bay here. This is highly toxic and should not be touched and dogs should be kept well clear of.” 

Hemlock water dropwort grows in damp grassland and wet woodland, often along river and stream banks, and all parts of the plant are extremely toxic. 

The plant contains alkaloids which attack the nervous system and can cause breathing difficulties, paralysis, and death in as quickly as a couple of hours after ingestion either by humans or dogs.