Diagram of the Conium plant--- DO NOT EAT! (Otto)

The eastern hemlock, which is Tsuga canadensis of the Pinaceaeis a completely different plant than the Poison hemlock which is a small, herbaceous plant which is technically the Conium plantof the family Apiaceae. Luckily, it’s extremely unlikely you’ll mix them up--- one is a tree and the other is a flower, however the name being the same often confuses people. The poison hemlock is well known because of its association with the philosopher Socrates’ death.  In ancient Greece, the plant was infused in a drink and given to condemned prisoners as a death sentence. Socrates allegedly died this way in 399 BC.