Summertime is all about being outside and enjoying the weather. But there is something out there that you need to be aware of because it's deadly. No, it's not an animal, it's a flower and it's showing up all over Arkansas and Texas.

If you see it you may think it's a wildflower or a weed. Either way, do not touch it with your bare hands. You should not smell it or burn it either. It is poisonous and can cause some horrible reactions even death.

Poison Hemlock Proliferates On Kent Roadsides
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The flower is called Poison Hemlock. How deadly is it? In ancient Greece, it was used for executions...that's how deadly it is. In fact, that is how Socrates was killed. He was sentenced to death and had to drink tea make from Poison Hemlock. It's important to note that it is poisonous to humans and animals.

A woman close to the Dallas area recently came into contact with it thinking it was a weed and she almost died from handling it.

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If you do come into contact with it there are signs to watch for and if you experience any of these signs you need to go to the emergency room as soon as possible. Reactions can show up between 30 minutes to an hour and include:

trembling
burning in the digestive tract
dilated pupils
muscle pain and weakness
rapid heart rate
convulsion
unconsciousness or coma


So How Do You Get Rid of Poison Hemlock?

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You can't cut it away so don't mow it down, it will just come back bigger. You can kill it with certain herbicides or you can pull it up from the roots with your hands but you will need to wear long sleeves, long pants and gloves. Then you'll need to put it in a trash bag so you don't touch it. It might not affect your skin but the chances of transferring the toxin to your eyes nose or mouth is what you need to worry about.  Check out the videos below for more information.

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