Hi guys, been a while since I last posted but a lot has happened in the last while. So anyway, there a lovely little wooded area in my estate and at the start of June I noticed what I assumed was elderflower growing all over the place, I thought wow I could forage loads here next year as it looked as though the were dying off
A week after a came across an article talking about giant hogweed and when I looked at the flowers on both were very similar.
I forgot to take pics when the were still alive so I understand its probably hard to tell from these pics but if anyone could help so I could get them next year.
Cheers
Aj(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160827/f364148b4054900139fdb14e95c178bc.jpg)(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160827/dff5219352ee5b0f4d88a69f1bbdae29.jpg)
Elder flower smells very strong and is produced by a woody tree. Giant hog weed is like an enlarged version of rhubarb with enormous leaves. The leaves on a elderflower are also smaller and more numerous.
Hog weed
https://www.google.ie/#hl=en-GB&q=hog+weed+picture&gws_rd=cr,ssl
Elder flower
https://www.google.ie/search?q=Elder+flower+picture&hl=en-GB&source=iu&biw=546&bih=666&tbm=isch&imgil=BJBNRvzUUlPmUM%253A%253BrRJ2yXb4ShvmOM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fthemagicalherbalist.wordpress.com%25252F2014%25252F07%25252F02%25252Fthe-magickal-herbalists-flowertree-of-the-day-elderflower%25252F&pf=m&fir=BJBNRvzUUlPmUM%253A%252CrRJ2yXb4ShvmOM%252C_&usg=__dcedUed8brt6KAXu041DYo6kwHs%3D&ved=0ahUKEwiTnoTnluHOAhUmLcAKHeO6BpQQyjcINQ&ei=Vk_BV5ObPKbagAbj9ZqgCQ#imgrc=BJBNRvzUUlPmUM%3A
I would suspect that it's giant hug weed as according to this it dies once it has completed producing it's flowers.
http://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/anr-35
I knew it was noxious but never understood how badly. Sounds like you had a lucky escape :)
Elder flower trees should now be starting to grow fruit (small black berries). I collected a lot of the flowers last year and recently made a Belgian saison with it.
You will know 100% exactly what it is if there is more of that plant there next year as its likely this year's seeds taking hold.
Shanna
Cheers shanna, I am glad I didn't pick it especially as I was down there with my 3 kids. I had never heard of hogweed before so I assumed it was just elderflower. Luck escape maybe.
Quote from: AJ_Rowley on August 27, 2016, 10:06:26 AM
Cheers shanna, I am glad I didn't pick it especially as I was down there with my 3 kids. I had never heard of hogweed before so I assumed it was just elderflower. Luck escape maybe.
The elder flower during full bloom will have a very sweet smell. Unfortunately the hog weed is almost impossible to control. Most parks around the country will have some elder flower & once you know what your looking for you will be suprised by how much of it is there is around the place. Best to educate the kids about the hog weed at the same spot if it grows back as it's likely they will encounter it again.
Shanna
DONT PICK AND EAT THINGS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
I think the biggest hint is that elder flowers and berries on grow on an elder tree, and not some random ground-weed.
(http://rawfoodenergybenefits.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/ElderFlowerHead.jpg)
There's also wild chervil (cow parsley)that has similar flowers and is fine.
(http://flora.nhm-wien.ac.at/Bilder-A-F/Anthriscus-sylvestris-2.jpg)
And Fool's Parsley which will make you very sick.
(http://quelle-est-cette-fleur.com/img/vignettes/cigue-tachetee.jpg)
And Hemlock wich will make you shit yourself to death
(https://www.herbalfire.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/p/o/poison-hemlock-conium-maculatum.jpg)
It's too late in the year for the flowers, you need to pick them when they're fresh and before they start to smell like piss.
The berries are turning black just now, look for a tree like this:
(http://www.meatsandsausages.com/public/images/recipes/canning/jams-jellies/recipes-elderberry-tree.jpg)
You'll normally find them in abundance near country graveyards, where they mythically guard the entrance to the other world.
Don't burn the wood, it releases cyanide or something similar and kills families in their sleep. I guess that's the reason it's associated with death.
The berries make my favorite hedgerow wine.
So defo not like that, although I did get hopeful when I saw some berries on one of them.