Black Henbane

blackhenbane_md_000Black Henbane Hyoscyamusniger L. Black henbane, a member of the night-shade family, may be an annual or biennial and grows from I to 3 feet tall. The leaves are coarsely-toothed to shallowly lobed and pubescent. Flowers, blooming along the long racemes, are brownish-yellow with a purple center and purple veins. The plant has a foul odor.

 Black henbane is a native of Europe and has been cultivated as an ornamental. It has spread throughout the United States and is a common weed of pastures, fence rows, roadsides, and waste areas. Black henbane contains hyoscyamine and other alkaloids which can cause livestock poisoning. It is considered a poisonous plant to humans.

 Black Henbane Fact/Information Sheet (PDF) Click Here
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