Hemlock in Wren Street

IT has gone down in history as the deadly weed which poisoned the philosopher Socrates way back in 399bce. But fast foward a few centuries or so and hemlock, which is fatal if ingested, has been found in two locations around King’s Cross.

A writer raised the alarm after finding it sprouting around a lamppost in Wren Street and by the side of a path in St Andrews Gardens.

The plants’ leaves are particularly poisonous in the spring, until it starts producing flowers.

It is poisonous to dogs and cats. Touching the green killer can also cause a skin reaction.

Hemlock in St Andrew’s Gardens

Author Mark Forsyth spied the bush in Wren Street a few weeks ago when he was on his way to the British Library.

He told the New Journal that for the past three years he has been identifying plants with an app on his phone. But he has never come across hemlock before.

He said: “I’ve got a hobby where I like spotting all the wild plants that grow between the cracks in the pavement. I look up their names. London is full of these little flowers and it makes walking down the street interesting. It’s fascinating there’s lots of old English plants with old English names like Shepherd’s Purse.

“We all recognise stinging nettle but no one recognises poisonous hemlock unless you’re an eccentric guy like me. It does grow wild in the UK but usually on wasteland or deep in the forest whereas on a public street at children’s height. . . toddlers love getting something and putting it in their mouths and if that happened it would become an ex-toddler pretty fast.

“I’m not the sort of guy who writes to the council and complains, but I would start to feel guilty if a child died and I hadn’t done anything.”

Author Mark Forsythe

After reporting it to the council, Mr Forsyth said the bushes were removed swiftly.

But on Tuesday he found several small bushes growing in St Andrew’s Gardens which have now been flagged again. Last week he found a “great big patch” growing on the towpath of the canal.

He said: “I’m not searching for it at all. I was just going past it on my bike. It seems to be everywhere I go.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “Hemlock is a quick-growing native plant that is commonly found across the country and cannot be eradicated. We therefore promptly remove any hemlock that is identified while we are undertaking the regular routine maintenance of our green spaces.”