From a human point of view, wild herbs should be consumed with caution. There are specimens that are incredibly healthy for us. And others that can kill us in an instant with their toxins. Which wild herbs do we have to be careful of?
The poisonous spotted hemlock (pictured here) looks confusingly similar to cow parsley
The range of poisons is large
Many plant species protect themselves from their predators with different toxins. Some of them are only slightly poisonous for us humans. For example, they cause skin irritation, nausea or vomiting. Others, on the other hand, are so toxic that even the smallest amounts can be fatal. It is assumed that about 20 percent of the wild herbs native to this country are poisonous to us humans.
- be sure to inform before collecting
- only collect edible wild herbs if they can be clearly identified
- take relevant literature with illustrations with you
ragweed
Ragweeds are all poisonous. Therefore, they represent one of the greatest dangers when collecting. They are also widespread with many species. It is the pyrolizzidine alkaloids contained in them that damage the human liver. They can be found in pastures, meadows and fallow land, where they provide yellow splashes of color during flowering. Some species also sow themselves in bed areas.
Ranunculaceae
Ranunculus plants will come across every wild herb collector. They are a large family of plants with over 600 species. They are widespread in this country because they can be used in almost any location. The best known is certainly the hot buttercup, also called buttercup. The ingredients protoanemoning and ranunculin are considered to be very toxic. High amounts of them are deadly for the human organism.
Some examples of doppelgangers
Many edible wild plants have so-called doubles. These are other wild plants that resemble you completely or only in certain parts of the plant. Below is a list of common mix-ups when collecting wild herbs:
- Wild garlic with lily of the valley, spotted arum and autumn crocus
- Comfrey with Foxglove
- Cow parsley with spotted hemlock
- Parsley with monkshood
- Watercress with poisonous water hemlock
- March violet with common hazel root
- Rocket with Jakobs-Greis-ragwort
- Common mugwort with monkshood
- Corn mint with pennyroyal
tips
Grow a few selected wild herbs in your own garden or on the balcony. This reduces the risk of resorting to a double.