Heracleum maximum
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Cow parsnip
A tall (4-10’ tall) deciduous perennial.
Cow parsnip has large leaves and can make a good accent plant for moist areas. Cut back as needed. Although plants may last only a few years, they will reseed themselves before they pass.
Butterflies (including Anise Swallowtail and Lorquin’s Admiral) and ladybugs love the flowers.
Large white flowers with a sweet fragrance in the Spring.
Previously named Heracleum lanatum
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Light, Moderate
Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand
Other: Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Bees, Attracts Birds, Deer Resistant
Container | D-40-O, D-40O, D-16, D-40, D-40S, TB4 |
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Ecological Value | Larval food source for anise swallowtail butterfly, Spring Azure, Pale Swallowtail, Lorquin's Admiral. Nectar source for hummingbirds and seed for bushtits, finches. |
Historical Uses | The young stalks were used by Native Americans as a vegetable. |
Distribution | Native to California and is also found elsewhere in North America and beyond. |
Elevation | Between 0 and 9000 feet |
Communities | |
Habitat | Grows in wet areas, old meadows, woodlands, forest openings, grasslands, stream and river edges, and along roadsides. |