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Veterinary Medicine Library |
Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum L.)
Animals allowed to graze pastures infested with this plant are most likely to be poisoned in early spring, when tender and succulent new leaves come from the root. Similar regrowth takes place in the early autumn. The root itself seems to be nearly harmless in spring, but later in the year all parts - roots, stem, leaves, and fruit - become extremely poisonous. It was the juice of poison hemlock with which the ancient Greeks killed Socrates. Many cases of human poisoning occur because the hemlock roots are mistaken for parsnips; the leaves, for parsley; and the roots and seeds, for anise.
| Description & image | Distribution | Control | Toxic principle | Clinical signs |
| Plant Lists: Scientific or Common | Veterinary Medicine Library | UIUC Library |
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Veterinary Medicine Library |