In my new video, I compare water hemlock with elderberry:
Though water hemlock looks similar to elderberry, it’s pretty easy to identify. It’s shorter and has a very distinctive look to the blooms, almost like a firecracker.
Elderberries and water hemlock both have toxic foliage and stems, so don’t eat either of them, obviously.
The berries that form on elder are unmistakeable; water hemlock doesn’t make berries at all.
Anyhow, watch the video – you’ll see the difference.
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9 responses to “Deadly water hemlock identification vs. elderberries”
Good post, I found some really nice looking Elderberry bushes in bloom and with ripe fruit this weekend. Golden Gate Estates, inland from Naples, FL.
IF I'm lucky, the cuttings I liberated will root and start an insurrection.
Green Dean mentioned that the elderberry leaf veins terminate at the tooth and hemlock leaf veins terminate in the notch.
CHopper
Yep – the leaves do exactly that.
Good luck with the cuttings.
To start an elderberry u can water root your cutting. It takes MONTHS so be patient. The cuttings do best when water rooted.
I also have dug deep and got a part of root the upper portion dies off but in spring you will have mature elderberry popping up. The new shoots are from old roots so you get flowers & berries right away. I have done both. I can show you pictures of mine if you want to see.
We have poison hemlock everywhere. Pulled it up last year wearing a long sleeved shirt (as I first got a rash from it) and it came back this year. Just have to keep pulling it up.
At least the rash sounds cool. "Yeah, was working in my yard. Totally got almost killed by deadly poisonous water hemlock. The only reason I'm alive is because I peeled off the outer layer of skin and burned it before the hemlock really soaked in. Wicked, right?"
Do a controlled burn & rid the yard of hemlock.
Plant some for the UN troops that might show up to take your guns.
HA!
Thank you for your comparison of water hemlock and elderberry !