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RE: Herbal Medicine: Growing, Tincturing & Using Valerian | #ihaveanxietytoo Half-Way Wrap-Up
yeah it has a strong smell some find unpleasant. it's somewhat similar to hemlock, but different enough you should be okay if you have basic plant ID skills. but if you don't feel 100% safe, i would do as you did and step away from harvesting it!
Yeah, I did not have the internet or a good field-guide or anyone to show me the "exact" difference... Ha ha... Not everybody has "basic plant ID skills", so maybe you should do a warning or something for people who wants to go out and wildcraft? How to tell the difference or something??? I think the hemlock root is full of these weird cavities...Or maybe it was the other way around? Ha ha... Anyway be safe out there everyone!!!
Hugs and herbs!
/FF
yes exactly. it's not within the scope of this article to also go into ID and i didn't mention wildcrafting of valerian (only growing your own or buying from a trusted source online) specifically for that reason. there's only so much i can cover in an article ;) i do sometimes i write ID and wildcrafting articles tho :) the plants themselves, before they're dug up, have a lot of differences. it's my opinion too that anyone going out looking for plants with white umbel flowers and tall stalks should know how to ID hemlock! or not touch it at all. if you can ID hemlock, you'll be much safer finding the plant you ARE looking for! :)
@mountainjewel, did not want to critices your article, the article is great, but I just read that some dude in your comments wanted to go out and wildcraft... And then I remembered my dilemma a few years back whilst wildcrafting...
Valerian (image source) Good.
Hemlock (Image source) Warning (poison).
Cheers!
/FF