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#36. Cow Parsnip

Heracleum lanatum (34K)

The flower arrangement of cow parsnip looks like an inside-out umbrella, so it is called an umbel.
Family Name:

Parsley Family

Habitat:

Moist shady ground

Characteristics:

1. 4 to 7 feet tall.

2. Large palmate leaves divided into 3 leaflets.

3. Leaves clasp stem.

4. Stem is thick and hollow. It is ribbed on the outside like celery (a relative).

5. Small white flowers in large umbel flower arrangement. An umbel is shaped like an inside-out umbrella. Bloom is in April and May.

Uses or Importances:

1. The peeled stems are edible raw or cooked. Remove the tough outer skin for easier eating.

2. The stems are high in protein.

3. Prolonged contact or ingestion could cause skin damage in light-skinned people.

 

The leaf of cow parsnip is compound ternate (3 leaflets).
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