One should not look for the edible goutweed lightly. In the case of wild plants such as wild garlic and lily of the valley, an incorrect identification can be dangerous, in the worst case even fatal. There are a number of plants that are similar to goutweed!

The poisonous spotted hemlock looks very similar to the edible goutweed

Poisonous relatives - spotted hemlock and dog's parsley

It is best not to use the blossoms as a guide when identifying ground elder! There are some species from the same plant family (umbellifers) whose flowers look almost the same. For example, spotted hemlock and dog's parsley, both of which are poisonous. A mix-up can have dire consequences.

Here are the characteristics that will help you distinguish ground elder from dog parsley and spotted hemlock:

  • Spotted hemlock: reddish spots on the stem
  • Dog parsley: Leaves are much more finely pinnate and articulated, not serrated at the edge, deeply incised
  • Ground elder: triangular stalk, tripartite leaves with tripartite individual leaves, serrated at the leaf margin, parsley-like smell

Similar growths that are harmless

Then there is the burnet, the wild carrot, the forest angelica and the broad-leaved mercury. They too look confusingly similar to Giersch. But unlike dog parsley and hemlock, they are not poisonous. Only the broad-leaved Merk can lead to diarrhea after consumption.

Distinguish between elderberry and goutweed

Compared to young ground elder, which is extremely healthy, the leaves of young elder are poisonous. They look like goutweed leaves during and shortly after they have sprouted.

But you can easily tell these two plants apart. If you know how: The cross-section of the elderberry has a round stem (giersch triangular) and does not smell of parsley or carrots when crushed.

distinguish between Bärenklau and Giersch

The Bärenklau also resembles the goutweed with its foliage. However, it is slightly poisonous. For sensitive people, just touching it can cause skin irritation. Here are the differences between the leaves:

  • Bear's Claw: pinnate to curved leaves
  • Giersch: smaller leaves, jagged at the edge

tips

Ground elder is best distinguished from other umbellifers by its triangular stems and serrated leaves!

Category:

Herbs