Flora of East-Central Indiana

Cow Parsnip
Scientific Name Heracleum lanatum  Michx.
Family Name Apiaceae (Parsley/Carrot Family)

 

Characteristics
Habitat: rich, damp woods; roadsides
Plant Height: 30-90 (1'-3') cm or more, erect single stem
Flower Color: white (can be tinged with purple)
Flower: 5 notched petals with outer petal larger and deeply cleft; outer flowers of umbel irregular
Inflorescence: large compound umbels; 10-20 cm wide; 15-30 rays;  individual umbels subtended by 5-10 leafy bracts
Fruit: schizocarp, elliptic to ovate, flattened, usually pubescent with broadly winged lateral ribs
Leaves: compound; very large with basal leaves having a clasping sheath, divided into 3 segments
Bloom Time: June-July
Origins: native
Other: known as  Heracleum maxinium  Bartr. in many common  field guides
Heracleum_lanatum_umbel2.jpg (70918 bytes) Heracleum_lanatum_singleflower.jpg (21043 bytes)

Heracleum_lanatum_seeds.jpg (54532 bytes)

 Heracleum_lanatum_umbelbracts.jpg (22400 bytes) Heracleum_lanatum_leaves.jpg (59850 bytes)
group of umbels close up of flower developing seeds base of umbel leaves

Native Wildflowers ● Trees, Shrubs&Vines ● Ferns ● Grasses&Allies ● Non-Native Species ●  ECI Flora Home

information provided by

FSEEC
Field Station and
Environmental Education Center
Ball State University, Muncie, IN



comments to:
hbrown@bsu.edu