The scientific name of the Cow
parsnip plant is Heracleum lanatum and the plant is an elegant blooming
perennial native to the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. The Cow parsnip plant is
common in forested areas as well as grasslands, shrub lands, meadows, alpine
regions, and even riparian habitats. The Cow parsnip plant is actually an
important forage species for numerous animals. Continue reading to learn more
about Cow parsnip plant.
The Cow parsnip plant which botanical
name is Heracleum lanatum is easy to confuse with several other plants in the
carrot family. Some of these plants can actually be very dangerous, so
identification is extremely very important. The cow parsnip plant is an
herbaceous flowering plant and is a wild plant that develops umbels of tiny
white flowers in a cloud atop tall stems. The plants that are similar to cow
parsnip plant also develop the same umbels and have similar forms. Water
hemlock, Queen Anne’s lace, poison hemlock, and giant hogweed all bear the same
flower type and they have similar feathery leaves.
Furthermore, the Cow parsnip plant is
a flowering dicot that can grow up to ten feet in height. The plant is
characterized by large one to 1 ½ foot across, serrated palmate leaves. The
stems of the plant are erect, stout, and they have small thorn-like
protuberances. The flowers are also a creamy white, lacy, flat-topped cluster
that may grow up to a foot (31 cm.) in diameter. This smaller flower size is
one key to ruling out the poisonous giant hogweed, which has about two foot
wide blooms and can grow up to twenty feet tall. The Cow parsnip plant growing
conditions are similar to this plant, but its cousins, Queen Anne’s lace and
poison hemlock, prefer drier locations and water hemlock is a riparian plant.
Cow Parsnip Plant Info
The Cow parsnip plants relatives are
all poisonous to one degree or another. Can you actually eat cow parsnip? The
plant is not toxic, but the juice can really cause contact dermatitis in
sensitive individuals. Washing the affected area and avoiding sunlight for a
few days can also reduce irritation. The Cow parsnip plants are eaten by deer,
elk, moose, and livestock. In fact, Cow parsnip is even planted as forage. Most
Native Americans ate the inside of the stem and boiled the roots to extract the
sugar. The Cow parsnip plants are also known as Indian parsley or Indian
rhubarb. By contrast, its relatives, poison hemlock and water hemlock, are
deadly and giant hogweed is extremely toxic to skin, causing large, weeping,
painful blisters. Queen Anne’s lace’s sap is less toxic but can also cause skin
irritation.
Cow Parsnip Plants Growing Conditions
Actually differentiating the 5 species can be done by the sizes of the plants and their flowers but also by the areas in which they grow. The Cow parsnip plant may be found in USDA zones three to nine. The Cow parsnip plant originated in Europe but naturalized in the United States and across Canada. The plant actually grows best in moist, shady locations but also thrives in open, drier areas. The Cow parsnip plant prefers loam or sandy loam with good drainage. The Cow parsnip plant may be found as an understory species but also in sub-arctic alpine zones. The Cow parsnip plant is a lovely plant that is important in many ecosystems and is also an attractive wildflower to grow in a perennial garden.
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