Cow-parsnip is a native perennial. Its Latin name is Heracleum lanatum. It comes from Greek - Heracleum is from the Greek hero Hercules, and lanatum means wooly. The plant’s growth is certainly robust, and the stem is especially fuzzy. It can grow up to 10 feet tall, and the leaves can be 16 inches wide.
It is starting to bloom. The umbels are breaking out of their satchels and unfolding into white umbrella-like bouquets. I’ll be watching to see what insects it attracts.
So far, I have only seen one animal eating this plant, the camas pocket gopher. A couple of weeks ago I watched one pull half of cow parsnip down its hole. The plant was younger and a bit smaller than the one pictured here. You can see the plant sticking out of the hole in the last photo below.
A word of caution:
I read in a number of places that the sap from this plant can cause skin damage (blisters or hyperpigmentation), especially to light-sensitive people.
Cow-parsnip (Heracleum lanatum)
