Hey there! Last year I heard within two weeks of each other two different people who thought devil’s club and cow parsnip were the same plant. Now, both can be pesky when you’re out hiking: devil’s club has spiky thorns that will cause infections if you don’t get them out while cow parsnip can give you burns if you get the sap on you then expose it to sun. On the other hand, devil’s club has some wonderful medicinal properties – it can be used in salves for pain and wounds or internally as an energy booster (it’s also known as Alaska ginseng). If you happen to not be allergic or reactive to cow parsnip, you could eat it. So, in case you don’t know the difference between devil’s club and cow parsnip, I’m going to lay it out for you here.
How to tell the difference
Stalks
Let’s start out in the late winter. If you’re out hiking, you should be able to still see the leftover stalks of cow parsnip (CP), even if there is snow still on the ground. The same goes for devil’s club (DC). However, there is an important difference. The CP stalks will easily break down if hit whereas the DC, you literally need a machete to take it down. Plus, you’re still in danger of getting spiked by one of the thorns with DC. With CP, you may still be affected by the sap and outer hairs if they’re still present. I have not read that specifically, but I would still be cautious when dealing with CP dead. In the spring and summer, definitely steer away or be careful of either plant while hiking for the reasons above.
Another distinction is that DC stalks are woody instead of hollow like CP. CP stalks are also sheathed.
Leaves
The leaves are what people generally mistake one for the other, especially if there is no flowers yet and it is far away. In fact, last year I spied some broad leaves starting to spread on the hill outside my house. However, it was too far for me to tell exactly which plant it was. Since I use devil’s club in my massage oil, I was very excited for the prospect of having it grow on my property. Finally, one day I had the time to go up there and take a look. It was DC! So, in the next two or three years there should be enough for me to harvest!
The top of a DC leaf, while the underside has thorns along the veins.
Anyways, back to the difference between the two. They both have five to seven points(lobes) that are saw-toothed, but DC looks more like maple leaves than CP. Cow parsnip leaves tend to be more narrow and bendy at the creases in leaf while DC leaves tend to be flatter. The leaves also have spikes running down the main veins.
Flowers
Both cow parsnip and devil’s club have white flowers. CP has a flat top arrangement of them while DC is cone shaped, the same shape that the clump of berries will take.
Berries/Seeds
Devil’s club will have bright red berries (which bears are said to absolutely love!). Cow parsnip, on the other hand, does not have berries. Instead it has these cool looking seed pods.
Those are the major difference between cow parsnip and devil’s club. Now you know they are two different plants and can tell which one is which. It’s pretty easy when they’re flower, but now you know what to look for when it’s just the leaves.
Happy hiking!
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