health
Elderflower is about to bloom: 3 key signs to distinguish the medicinal flower from its poisonous twin
A mistake in nature can have serious consequences.
TL;DR
- Medicinal elderflower grows as a tall tree or large shrub with a woody stem, reaching up to ten meters, while its poisonous twin, abdovina, is a herbaceous plant with a green stem, rarely exceeding two meters.
- The scent of medicinal elderflower is pleasant and sweet, with milky white or cream flowers, while abdovina has a heavy, unpleasant odor and its flowers may have pink stamens or reddish tips.
- The fruits of medicinal elderflower grow in heavy clusters that droop downwards, whereas abdovina's fruits grow upright in firm clusters.