Look-A-Like Plants

[moonstar]

If gathering your own plants, there are certain ones that look a lot like poisonous ones.

 

1. Angelica................Easy to confuse water

hemlock

 

2. Comfrey.................Can be confused with

first years leaf

growth on Foxglove.

Foxglove flowers also

look similiar

 

3. Caraway.................Young leaves similiar to

Fool's Parsley and

Poison Hemlock

 

4. Fox Grape...............Don't confuse with

Canada Moonseed

 

5. Hop Tree or Wafer Ash...Don't confuse leaves

of this tree with poison

ivy leaves

 

6. Marsh Marigold..........American White Hellebore

(False Hellebore) can be

mistaken for this

 

7. Parsley.................Has been confused with Water

Hemlock, Fool's Parsley, Poison

Parsley

 

8. Smooth Sumac............Mistaken for Poison Sumac

 

9. Sweet Cicely (Anise Root)..Mistaken for Poison

Hemlock

 

10. Wild Carrots...........Poison Hemlock

 

11. Wild Fennel............May be confused with poison

hemlock

 

Can anyone add to this list?

 

[gardnmom]

This is why it is necessary to look at the complete detailed info on the shape, texture, and even the fluid in the stem, that is where you can confirm or refute what they are.

I can use St Johns wort as an example... the leaves look very much like another weed that grows near it in early spring before it flowers, but the flowers are different, the St Johns wort grows tall while the look alike is a vine, The St Johns wort will stain your hands a red brown in color when you pick it. In early spring when you find it, pick a single leaf, hold it up and look at it as though you want to look through it, the St Johns wort looks like it has little holes in it, (these are actually oil pockets) but the other does not.

[Guest Guest]

This is something I really worry about, so I try to just buy the plants from a nursery to start with, then I can get a real up close and personal look at them, even put my hands on the leaves and notice any small details. Once I think Ive got the info, I feel much safer when I go herb hunting... Jung seeds sells some of the more rare plants, and their catalog is free if you order it on line... just a suggestion and my 2cents worth...(again) AM.