Cow Parsnip
(Heracleum maximum Bartr.)
Apiaceae (Carrot Family)
▲ seedlings
▲▼ young plant with large, divided leaves
▲▼flowering plants
▲ umbel inflorescence
▲ inflorescence and seed
▲ field of cow parsnip in California
Above photos are of the more pubescent western form, previously listed as Heracleum lanatum Michx., with photos taken in California;
Below are of photos of less hairy plants from Minnesota and Wisconsin:
▲ first year plant
▲ mature leaf
▲ fuzzy, ridged stems (but lacking purple hairs or speckling of giant hogweed)
▲ mature flowering plant
▲▼ flowers
▲▼ plant with fruit (seeds)
▲ fruit/seeds
Heracleum maximum
Bartr.; Cow Parsnip:
(Bayer Code:
not known; US Code HEMA80)
·
(also called
Heracleum spondylium L. and
Heracleum lanataum Michx.)
·
Appears similar to invasive
giant hogweed,
but cow parsnip is native to the U.S. and lacks the purple speckling on the
stems and petioles
·
Cow parsnip often has more fine white hairs on stems and leaf stems than
giant hogweed, and
usually is about 3-6 feet tall
·
The
Heracleum lanatum Michx. form has more hairy
stems and leaves and is more common in the western United States