Mercurialis perennis, Dog's Mercury

Common Name: Dog's Mercury

Mercurialis perennis, more commonly known as Dog's Mercury, is a perennial, medium-height woodland plant. The leaves are large and long pointed oval-shape with toothed edges. They are bright green, hairy and crowded towards the top of the stem. The flowers are small and green and appear in the spring.

It is not a showy plant and is easily overlooked, but it’s very common. It flourishes in woodland with a preference for living under oak, beech, ash and elm. Although it’s mainly a plant of ancient woods, it can colonise new deciduous woodland very quickly. It favours shady areas and can also be found in hedgerows.

Some species of ground-nesting bird, such as woodcock, seem drawn to areas colonised with dog’s mercury. Speckled bush cricket nymphs feed on its leaves, along with other species including beetles, weevils, springtails and molluscs.

The name dog’s mercury has nothing to do with the pet – the plant is toxic to many animals, including dogs. It actually refers to it looking similar to, but ‘lesser than’ plants in the mercury family.

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