Anthriscus sylvestris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anthriscus sylvestris |
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Anthriscus
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sylvestris
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Synonyms list
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Cow parsley, also known as wild chervil or Queen Anne's lace, is a common plant found in many parts of the world. Its scientific name is Anthriscus sylvestris. It belongs to the Apiaceae family, which also includes plants like parsley, carrot, and hemlock.
This plant is usually a biennial (meaning it lives for two years) or a short-lived perennial (living for more than two years). It is native to Europe, western Asia, and northwestern Africa. In some places, especially in the UK, it's also called "mother-die." Cow parsley is sometimes confused with Daucus carota, which is also called "Queen Anne's lace" or "wild carrot."
Contents
What Does Cow Parsley Look Like?
Cow parsley is a herbaceous plant, meaning it doesn't have a woody stem like a tree. It can grow quite tall, from about 2 to 5.5 feet (60 to 170 cm).
Stems and Leaves
Its stems are hollow and have stripes or grooves. They are green, sometimes with purple areas, and can be up to 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) wide. The stems, leaf stalks, and the main stem of the leaf (called the rachis) have tiny hairs. You might not see them, but you can feel them if you touch the plant. The leaf stalks wrap around the main stem at their base.
The leaves are shaped like triangles and look like ferns or feathers. They are about 12 inches (30 cm) wide and 18 inches (45 cm) long. The smallest part of the leaf is at the very bottom.
Flowers
The flowers of cow parsley are white and grow in clusters that look like umbrellas. These clusters are called compound umbels. Each tiny flower has five white petals, two stamens (the parts that make pollen), and two styles (parts of the female reproductive system). There are small, oval, leaf-like parts called bractioles near the flower clusters. These often have red, pointy tips.
Roots
The plant has one main taproot that goes deep into the ground. This main root can also have smaller branches. Sometimes, underground stems called rhizomes grow from the roots. These rhizomes help the plant spread.
Cow parsley usually flowers from April to early June.
Where Does Cow Parsley Grow?
Cow parsley likes sunny or partly shaded places. You can often find it in meadows, along the edges of hedgerows, and near woodlands. It's very common along roadsides in Britain. Its white flowers make it a beautiful sight in spring.
However, because it grows quickly and spreads easily, it can be a problem weed in gardens. Cow parsley can spread fast using its underground stems (rhizomes) and by making many seeds. This has made it an invasive species in some parts of the United States. An invasive species is a plant that spreads very quickly and can take over areas, harming native plants.
For example, Vermont has put cow parsley on its "Watch List" of invasive plants. Massachusetts has even banned selling the plant. In the State of Washington, it has been listed as a "Class B Noxious Weed" since 1989, and selling it there is also against the rules. In Iceland, cow parsley is also considered an alien invasive species.
Can You Eat Cow Parsley?
All the parts of the cow parsley plant that grow above the ground can be eaten. It tastes a bit like garden chervil, which is a type of parsley, but stronger. Some people say it has a hint of licorice or aniseed flavor. However, some sources suggest it might be mildly toxic, meaning it could be a little bit harmful if eaten.
Cow parsley is not grown on farms because it spreads so easily in the wild. People who want to eat it usually forage for it (collect it from the wild) from February to November.
Important Safety Warning
It is very important to be extremely careful if you ever think about foraging for cow parsley. This plant looks very similar to other plants in the Apiaceae family that are deadly poisonous. These include poison hemlock, hemlock water-dropwort, and fool's parsley. Eating even a small amount of these poisonous plants can be fatal.
Because cow parsley's flavor is not very special and the risk of confusing it with a deadly plant is so high, it is generally strongly advised not to forage for or eat cow parsley from the wild. It is much safer to stick to herbs and vegetables that you buy from a store or grow yourself.
Gallery
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Illustration from Köhler's Medicinal Plants
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The base of a second-year plant in September and a young layer (Warming 1884)
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See also
In Spanish: Perifollo verde para niños
