hemlock
A name for both a deadly plant and a forest tree.
Hemlock refers to two different plants that share the same name but aren't closely related.
The first is poison hemlock, a tall plant with white flowers that grows wild in fields and along roadsides. Every part of this plant is deadly if eaten. In ancient Greece, poison hemlock was used as a method of execution. The philosopher Socrates was forced to drink hemlock after being convicted by an Athenian jury in 399 BC. This historical connection makes hemlock a symbol of unjust punishment in literature and philosophy.
The second type is the hemlock tree, a large evergreen conifer that grows in forests across North America and Asia. Unlike poison hemlock, hemlock trees aren't poisonous. These towering trees can live for hundreds of years and provide valuable lumber for building. Eastern hemlocks create dense, shady forests that stay green year-round, while Western hemlocks can grow over 200 feet tall.