Cow Parsnip

About Cow Parsnip

Cow Parsnip is a monumental presence in the native landscape, commanding attention with its massive stature. This biennial or short-lived perennial can reach heights of 4 to 10 feet, sporting huge, deeply lobed leaves and flat-topped white flower umbels up to a foot across. Blooming in June and July, these clusters are a magnet for pollinators, including bees, beetles, and the Anise Swallowtail butterfly. Native to moist meadows and forest edges throughout most of North America, it prefers consistently moist soils and full to partial sun. Caution is required as its sap can cause phytophotodermatitis (skin sensitivity to sunlight). Despite this, it is a vital ecological component of wetland edges. Seeds require a 60-day cold-moist stratification (C60) to ensure successful spring germination.