PORT TOWNSEND — Poison hemlock, the plant that killed Socrates when he was forced to ingest a tea made from it, grows throughout Port Townsend.
James “Bonzo” DeLeo, 84, of Port Townsend has made it his mission to spread the word about this deadly flora that could be growing right in your back yard.
A one-time owner of a garden supply store in Port Townsend, DeLeo is steeped in plant know-how and says hemlock has particular aspects that put residents at risk, especially when it grows rampantly, as it tends to do in the summer.
“What I’m afraid of is it can be mistaken for so many things,” said DeLeo.
“There’s a chance someone’s going to think it’s dill or fennel and get killed.”
Poison hemlock has also been known to be confused with parsnip, parsley and anise seeds.
The noxious plant contains five volatile alkaloids which are chemically related to nicotine, toxins which were used in ancient times to put condemned men to death — Socrates, for instance.
DeLeo said he’s located the weed growing on San Juan Avenue near Blue Heron Middle School, at Port Townsend International Airport and at the Port of Port Townsend Boat Haven, among other locations.
The weed can reach heights of 10 feet tall, and every portion of it is poisonous.
