From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators

Digging Deeper

Which Hemlock?

The name hemlock is another example of the confusion that arises when common, rather than botanical, names are used. Many of us know hemlock as a lovely coniferous tree of the genus Tsuga. The hemlock used to poison Socrates, Conium maculatum, is not a tree, but rather a stout biennial related to carrot and dill. Most references call it poison-hemlock to distinguish it from the conifer.

All parts of the poison-hemlock are poisonous, but the immature fruits are the most lethal. A decoction made from these plant parts was used by ancient Greeks to carry out their form of the death penalty.

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