Short Description
Hemlock can grow to a height of two metres.
The leaves are divided into two or four leaflets (two- to four-pinnate) and hairless. The upper side of the leaf is dark green. The underside is greyish-green.
The stem is finely ribbed, blue-green and in the lower section generally reddish streaked.
The individual small white flowers are clustered in double umbels (flower heads). This means that each branch of the umbel (like ribs of an umbrella) is again tipped with a smaller umbellule.
The schizocarp fruits are spherical and markedly grooved. It consists of two mericarps.
Features
Hemlock
Conium maculatum
Highly poisonous
stem spotted with red
Similar species
In the city
In towns, hemlock is mainly found in wasteland and waysides. It prefers warm and light sites with chalky, nutrient-rich loamy soil.
Fun Facts
The Greek philosopher Socrates was condemned to death by hemlock poisoning. This was a standard form of execution in Classical Antiquity.
It flowers from June to August.
Hemlock is one of the most poisonous indigenous plants.
- Endangerment level Germany: not endangered
Caution! The entire plant is strongly poisonous.
Sources
Habitus, Saxo, Gemeinfrei, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gefleckterschierling.jpg
Blütenstand, H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Conium_maculatum_002.JPG
Stängel, MPF, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Conium_maculatum_Hauxley_2.jpg
Eggenberg, S. & Möhl, A. (2007) Flora Vegetativa: Ein Bestimmungsbuch für Pflanzen der Schweiz im blütenlosen Zustand, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien: Haupt Verlag.
Spohn, M., Golte-Bechtle, M. & Spohn, R. (2015) Was blüht denn da? Stuttgart: Franckh Kosmos Verlag.
Jäger, E. J. (2011) Rothmaler - Exkursionsflora von Deutschland. Gefäßpflanzen: Grundband, Heidelberg: Spektrum Akademischer Verlag.
Lippert, W. & Podlech, D. (1993) GU Naturführer. Blumen: die wichtigen Blütenpflanzen Mitteleuropas erkennen und bestimmen, München: Gräfe und Unzer Verlag.
Schauer, T., Caspari, C. & Caspari, S. (2015) Der illustrierte BLV-Pflanzenführer für unterwegs. 1150 Blumen, Gräser, Bäume und Sträucher, München: BLV.
Page „Gefleckter Schierling“. : Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Date of last revision: 13.03.2017, 10:22 UTC. URL: https://de.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gefleckter_Schierling&oldid=163540078 (Accessed: 13.03.2017).
Bundesamt für Naturschutz (n.d.) Artensteckbriefe, URL: http://floraweb.de/pflanzenarten/artenhome.xsql?suchnr=1621& (Accessed: 13.03.2017).