AT A GLANCE
How can you reliably distinguish ground elder from poisonous mistakes?
To clearly identify ground elder and avoid confusion with poisonous doubles, pay attention to the "Rule of three": triangular leaf stalk, three groups of leaves per stalk and three leaves per leaf group.
Which plants look similar to goutweed?
There are two main characteristics that lead to the goutweed sometimes confused with other plants: the white flowers in double umbels and the parsley-like leaves. These two properties are also found in other plants. These include primarily:
- Spotted hemlock
- water hemlock
- hedges
- goiter
- dog parsley
also read
All plants mentioned are poisonous, especially the hemlock, which you should never mistake for goutweed.
How is the Giersch easy to recognize?
You can recognize the goutweed particularly well by the following three characteristics:
- leaves: The leaves of goutweed are divided into three leaf groups. These in turn each have three leaves. The latter appear smooth and sawn at the edge.
- stem: The stem is triangular and hairless and about 30 to 100 centimeters high.
- Odor: The smell flatters the nose. It is reminiscent of a mixture of carrot and parsley.
What other characteristics does the umbelliferae have?
There are three other features that characterize the goutweed:
- blossoms: The blossoms shine white to slightly pink - each with a size of about three millimeters.
- fruits/seeds: The fruits or seeds are initially green and later brown, bisected, elongated and smooth and three to four millimeters long. They resemble cumin.
- Roots/Goat feet: Ground elder's roots are whitish and about three millimeters thick. The so-called goat's foot is located at the end of each leaf stalk.
Where can you find Giersch?
The umbelliferae grow in moderately moist, partially shaded locations. He can help you, for example, with walks through forests and parks encounter - often a little hidden under other shrubs. also on waterfronts the goutweed likes to thrive.
Distinctive features of the doppelgangers
- The Spotted hemlock smells pungently of mouse or mouse urine. In addition, its stems are not purely green, but have red to reddish-brown spots.
- The water hemlock has no filigree roots, but a bulbous, thickened rootstock. In addition, it grows almost exclusively in water bodies and swamps.
- The Hedge goiter reveals stems with reddish spots. Added to this is the club-like thickening at the junctions.
- The dog parsley differs from ground elder simply by the significantly narrower and longer, more finely structured and feathered leaves, which are not serrated at the edges.
Tip
Stick to the “rule of three”!
"Three, three, three, join the goutweed!" This old saying helps you to recognize the goutweed: - leaf stalks with a triangular shape - three of each Groups of leaves per stem - three leaves per group of leaves. If you remember this, there is hardly any danger of the goutweed with its poisonous doubles confuse with.
