The association of the immensely poisonous hemlock plant with the death of the great Greek philosopher, Socrates, has made it famous. This biennial herbaceous plant actually belongs to the innocuous carrot family. However, the high toxin content of the herb has made it extremely poisonous. The plant grows to an average height of about 2 metres. The leaves are triangular in shape and have a lacy appearance with fine lines on them. The stem of the plant is quite hollow and appears to be smooth with stripes and spots toward its base.

Its white flowers are very tiny, appearing in clusters and blossoming throughout the summer. The root is fleshy and white and more or less similar to that of a carrot.

Hemlock is quite familiarly found in the wild, bordering roadsides, trails, or the edges of fields and is widely grown in the Mediterranean region, in Europe and in southern Africa. The plant grows well in moist fertile soil and bright sunlight. Due to its rapid propagation the plant can, at times, be invasive.