Wild garlic, also called Allium ursinum, is a wild plant that is very popular in the kitchen as a tasty wild herb, especially in spring. Its taste is reminiscent of garlic and gives many dishes a distinctive aroma. Despite its popularity, collecting wild garlic carries a certain risk as it can easily be confused with other poisonous plants such as lily of the valley, autumn crocus or arum.

Wild garlic – An aromatic harbinger of spring with pitfalls

Wild garlic is a true harbinger of spring. As soon as the temperatures rise and the sun shines more often, it sprouts from the ground and enriches many dishes with its aromatic taste. But the dark green, lance-shaped leaves of wild garlic closely resemble the leaves of lily of the valley, autumn crocus and arum, which can lead to dangerous confusion.

Lily of the valley, autumn crocus and arum - dangerous doppelgängers

Lilies of the valley (Convallaria majalis) are beautiful plants whose leaves closely resemble those of wild garlic. However, they contain cardioglycosides, a group of compounds that have toxic effects and can lead to cardiac arrhythmias.

autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale) blooms in autumn, its leaves, which appear in spring, can easily be confused with wild garlic. They contain colchicine, a powerful poison that can cause nausea, vomiting and, in severe cases, even kidney failure.

Arum (Arum maculatum) also has similar leaves to wild garlic. It contains saponins, which when consumed can cause irritation of the mucous membranes, diarrhea and, in severe cases, shortness of breath.

Identify wild garlic safely – this is what you should pay attention to


To safely identify wild garlic and avoid poisoning, there are a few points you should pay attention to:

  1. The smell :
    One of the most reliable features for distinguishing wild garlic from its poisonous counterparts is the smell. Wild garlic smells strongly of garlic, while lily of the valley, autumn crocus and arum do not have this smell. Make sure that when you crush the leaves you actually smell the garlic and don't just think you smell it because you expect it. It is also important to note that the smell of garlic can linger on your hands and could falsify the odor test for other plants. It is therefore advisable to wash or disinfect your hands before each new odor sample.
  2. The leaf shape and structure :
    Wild garlic leaves are soft and shiny with a clear central vein, while the leaves of lily of the valley and arum are rather stiff and dull. Autumn crocus has no midrib and its leaves are slightly fleshier and wider than those of wild garlic.
  3. The flowers :
    Wild garlic blooms from April to June and has star-shaped, white flowers that form an umbel. Lily of the valley, on the other hand, has small, bell-shaped flowers that hang on a long stem. Autumn crocus, as the name suggests, blooms in autumn and not spring. The arum has a striking, greenish-white flower that is very different from that of the wild garlic.
  4. The location :
    Wild garlic prefers shady, moist forests and floodplains. It often grows in large populations and forms veritable carpets of wild garlic. Lily of the valley and arum can also be found in forests, while autumn crocus is more common in meadows and pastures.

Make sure you memorize these distinguishing features before you start looking for wild garlic. If you are not sure, it is better to avoid collecting. The consequences of poisoning can be very serious, ranging from nausea and vomiting to cardiac arrhythmias and kidney failure.

Conclusion: Wild garlic is a tasty wild herb that enriches many dishes.

Unfortunately, it looks very similar to some poisonous plants such as lily of the valley, autumn crocus and arum, which can lead to dangerous confusion. It is therefore important to know the differences exactly before collecting wild garlic and to be sure that you are identifying the right plant. If you are unsure, you should always avoid collecting and instead buy wild garlic from specialist retailers. It's better to be safe than risk serious poisoning.

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