Table of contents
- toxicity
- subspecies
- Sheet
- stem
- blossom
- Danger from contaminated seed
- Combat dog parsley
Parsley is an easy-care plant in the garden, but it can be confused with dog parsley. For this reason, the curly parsley was also cultivated to avoid confusion. However, it has a milder taste, which is why flat-leaf parsley is still one of the most important kitchen herbs. But just by the unpleasant smell, the dog's parsley can be distinguished from the edible flat-leaf parsley.
toxicity
The toxicity of dog parsley, botanically also called Aethusa cynapium, is attributed to various polyines, above all aethusine. Comparable polyynes are also found in the poisonous water hemlock. Various symptoms of intoxication can occur when aethusine is ingested.
Possible symptoms of aethusin poisoning:
- nausea
- Diarrhea
- abdominal pain
- cramps
In small amounts, the plant is not fatal, but a soup like that made from parsley can be dangerous. In larger amounts, aethusine leads to respiratory paralysis and subsequently to death. The advantage is that the Aethusa can be easily distinguished from the edible parsley.
subspecies
There are two subspecies of the Aethusa, which differ in their choice of location. Aethusa cynapium subsp. cynapium prefers ruderal sites and can be found along fallow land or fields. Aethusa cynapium subsp. elata, on the other hand, prefers forests. It is often found along damp clearings in the company of balsam. However, both species are equally poisonous.
Sheet
Visually, both subspecies look very similar. Aethusa cynapium subsp. elata has rather narrow and elongated leaf tips, while Aethusa cynapium subsp. cynapium has more ovate leaf tips and is therefore easier to confuse with common parsley. The leaf is one of the most important distinguishing features to the garden parsley, because the Aethusa is very shiny on the underside.
Tip:
An important characteristic is the smell of the Aethusa. When crushed, the leaf has an unpleasant odor reminiscent of garlic, while parsley has the typical fresh smell when crushed.
stem
The Aethusa is also biennial. Like normal parsley, it produces flowers in the second year. However, the differences can be seen very clearly on the stem.
The stem of Aethusa looks like this:
- round with slight edges
- bluish frosted
- occasional reddish spots
Above all, the reddish spots and the frosting are an alarm signal that in this case we are dealing with the poisonous double.
blossom
Dog parsley is very easy to spot when it is in bloom. Very conspicuous bracts sit on the umbel of the second order. They are longer than average and look like small spikes pointing downwards. Since it can certainly lead to crossbreeding with other umbelliferous plants, including parsley, a plant with such conspicuous bracts should never be used.
Danger from contaminated seed
As a rule, Aethusa is rarely found in gardens, but it is more likely that it will be crossed with the poisonous double. Difference is hardly noticeable from the seeds, only when the next generation is bred can it be recognized from the traits. However, the problem with crossbreeding is that the next generation can carry both characteristics and the distinction is problematic.
Tip:
If you want to multiply parsley in the garden yourself, you should carry out controlled pollination on selected plants. This ensures that no crossing occurs.
Combat dog parsley
Although the Aethusa is rarely found in gardens, it is significantly more common alongside fields or garden areas that were once fields. Due to the distinctive features, however, confusion is impossible and it can be combated in a targeted manner. Fighting the dog's parsley is not very easy, because it resists even chemical herbicides. If the plant only appears in small quantities, the simplest option is to weed it out consistently. Of course, normal parsley should not be planted in such places so that there is no confusion.
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