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Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) seeds

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In ancient Greece, hemlock was used to poison convicted political prisoners - the most famous victim is the philosopher Socrates (399 BC). However, there are also plenty of cases of unintentional poisoning with Conium Maculatum where poison hemlock was mistaken for similar-looking kitchen herbs, such as parsley or chervil or seeds like fennel and anise.

Medieval witches are said to have used poison hemlock for their purposes, especially for preparing their flying ointment. This is probably due to the fact that it has a paralyzing effect on the skin which might evoke the sensation of "flying". Hemlock was also a common sight in European monastery gardens where it was grown for use as a local anesthetic. It can still be found growing as a wild plant around those spots.

The main active ingredient of Conium Maculatum, coniine, was isolated in 1831 and was the first alkaloid to be synthetically recreated in 1886. Coniine is a clear, oily liquid with a burning hot taste and smell of mouse urine. It is readily absorbed by the skin and the mucous membranes and causes increased excitability, followed by an ascending paralysis of the spinal cord. Its effect is similar to curare or nicotine - centrally and peripherally paralyzing, with a distinct impact on the release of adrenalin. Since it is very hard to dose, in today's medicine hemlock is only used in homeopathic preparations to combat tumors.

Caution: The whole hemlock plant is very poisonous and particularly dangerous for children!

Seeds, content: Approx. 100 Poison Hemlock seeds

Plant description

Lifecycle:	Annual Biennial
Eventual height:	50-300 cm
Flowering months:	June July August September
Flower colour:	White
Special features:	Open-pollinated
Species:	Apiaceae
Root system:	Taproot

Growing advice

Sowing depth:	1 cm
When to sow outdoors:	April May
Germination temperature:	15-20°C
Planting distance:	40 cm
Row spacing:	40 cm
Sunlight:	Full sun

Sow the hemlock seeds directly outside from April (or start your seeds indoors) - Caution: The seeds are poisonous. The up to 2.5 m tall plant loves sunny locations and blooms in the second year.

Other names

Botanical name:	Cicuta officinalis, C. cicuta, C. croaticum, Conium maculatum, Coriandrum cicuta, Selinum conium
German names:	Bangenkraut, Bitscherling, Blutpeterlein, Blutschierling, Butzerling, Düllkrut, Erdschierling, Gartenschierling, Kalberkern, Krottenpeterling, Pipkraut, Scharnpiepen, Schirsing, Teufelspeterling, Tollkörfel, Tollkraut, Wogeltod, Wüterich, Wütscherling, Wutscherling, Ziegendill
French names:	Ciguë des Officines, Ciguë de Socrate, Ciguë Tachetée, Mort-Aux-Oies
English names:	Poison Hemlock, Carrot Fern, Devil's Bread, Devil's Porridge, Poison Parsley, Spotted Corobane, Spotted Hemlock, Poison Parsley, Herb Bennet, Beaver Poison, Musquash Root
Spanish names:	Acebuda, Azecuta, Budoños, Canaveira, Cañaeja, Cañafierro, Cañafleja, Cecuta, Cicuta Manchada, Diversa de la Ferula, Dibleto, Embudejo, Huelemanos, Jecuta, Linojo, Mastrancho, Perejil Lobuno, Perejil de Las Brujas, Perejil de Tontos, Sarnosa, Secuta, Siblatos, Zecuta