Leaves
Ground elder
Aegopodium podagraria L. · goutweed, bishop's weed · Polish: Podagrycznik pospolity
Edible
How to identify it
- Leaves made up of leaflets in threes on a common stalk; leaflets ovate, pointed, toothed.
- Leaf stalks always smooth, with straight or slightly convex edges in cross-section — a feature that distinguishes it from similar plants.
- Stem hollow, grooved (also described as triangular).
- Long, creeping rhizomes with many runners — it forms dense carpets.
- Small white flowers in large compound umbels; flowers in June–July.
Where it grows
Damp and moist scrub, broadleaved woodland, woodland edges, parks, gardens, roadsides and the banks of water bodies; prefers shady places and often grows along fences.
In the kitchen and the home medicine cabinet
Young leaves and leaf stalks are best, mainly from shady places. They are cooked like spinach, added to soups (so-called ‘green soup’) and to spring salads.
Caution Only gather a plant you have identified beyond doubt — many members of the carrot family with white umbels are poisonous. Wikipedia notes that the plant is fit to eat ‘rather only as a last resort’. Picking plants is prohibited in national parks and nature reserves.
What not to confuse it with
Cowbane Deadly poisonous
Ground elder belongs to the carrot family (Apiaceae), which includes deadly poisonous species such as cowbane (which is confused with other members of the family). Open sources do not directly describe cowbane being mistaken for ground elder — this is a general warning. Only gather ground elder you have identified with certainty, ideally young leaves from carpets growing in the shade.
Frequently asked questions
When is Ground elder in season?
In Poland, usually in April, May.
What can Ground elder be confused with?
Cowbane: Ground elder belongs to the carrot family (Apiaceae), which includes deadly poisonous species such as cowbane (which is confused with other members of the family). Open sources do not directly describe cowbane being mistaken for ground elder — this is a general warning. Only gather ground elder you have identified with certainty, ideally young leaves from carpets growing in the shade.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Podagrycznik pospolity
- Nadleśnictwo Strzebielino (Lasy Państwowe): Podagrycznik – najzdrowszy chwast w naszych lasach (29.01.2024)
- Wikipedia: Szalej jadowity
Last checked: 9 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Write to us.
