General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Partial or Dappled Shade
Partial Shade to Full Shade
Water Preferences: Mesic
Soil pH Preferences: Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Slightly alkaline (7.4 – 7.8)
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 4a -34.4 °C (-30 °F) to -31.7 °C (-25 °F)
Maximum recommended zone: Zone 8b
Plant Height: Up to 10 feet
Leaves: Other: 6-16 inches long, round, divided into 3 lobes or parts, edges coarsely toothed.
Fruiting Time: Summer
Flowers: Showy
Malodorous
Flower Color: White
Bloom Size: Under 1"
Over 12"
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring
Spring
Late spring or early summer
Summer
Late summer or early fall
Fall
Other: Blooms February-September
Uses: Will Naturalize
Wildlife Attractant: Bees
Pollinators: Wasps
Flies
Bees

Image
Common names
  • Common Cow-Parsnip
  • American Cow-Parsnip
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Heracleum sphondylium subsp. montanum
  • Synonym: Heracleum maximum
Also sold as:
  • Heracleum laciniatum

Photo Gallery
Location: Banff, Canada | July, 2022
Date: 2022-08-03

Date: 2012-06-25
Credit NPS Jacob W. Frank
Location: Banff, Canada | August, 2022
Date: 2022-08-03

Date: 2010-05-14
Photo courtesy of: Miguel Vieira

Date: 2010-05-14
Photo courtesy of: Miguel Vieira
Location: Mount Baker Wilderness
photo credit: Walter Siegmund
Location: Mount Baker Wilderness
photo credit: Walter Siegmund
Comments:
  • Posted by KFredenburg (Black Hills, SD - Zone 5a) on Jun 18, 2020 11:44 AM concerning plant:
    This is the largest species of the Carrot Family in North America. The genus is named for Hercules, who is reputed to have used it for medicine (in mythology). Early in each year, Indians peeled and ate the young sweet, aromatic leaf and flower stalks. This species, although edible, can cause dermatitis.

« Add a new plant to the database

« The Plants Database Front Page

Today's site banner is by Lucius93 and is called "Erysimum cheiri"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.