Non-native exotic. Can be aggressive and invasive, choking out native plants. Prefers shady areas. Much too common in Wildwood, in shady places along the bikeway, especially near the bathrooms. A form with white and green leaves is commonly cultivated as an ornamental.

Could be confused with a number of other members of this family with somewhat similar leaves. Aniseroot (Osmorhiza longistylis) blooms much earlier and has denser flowr clusters. Snakeroots (Sanicula spp. have flowering clusters much more open, with the subclusters much denser and the flowers very tiny. Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis) has much smaller and fewer flowrs in the clusters. Crowfoots (Ranunculus spp.) in the buttercup family also have somewhat similar leaves, but they have yellow flowers. Cowbane (Oxypolis rigidior) has similar flowers but different leaves and blooms in the fall.