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Useful Temperate Plants

Anthriscus sylvestris

(L.) Hoffm.

Apiaceae

+ Synonyms

Anthriscus alpina (Vill.) Jord.

Anthriscus candollei Rouy & E.G.Camus

Anthriscus chaerophyllea (Lam.) Druce

Anthriscus dissectus C.H.Wright

Anthriscus elatior Besser

Anthriscus intermedia Schur

Anthriscus keniensis H.Wolff

Anthriscus laevigata Griseb.

Anthriscus mollis Boiss. & Reut.

Anthriscus nemorosa Baker & S.Moore

Anthriscus pilosa Schur

Anthriscus procera Besser

Anthriscus torquata Duby

Anthriscus yunnanensis W.W.Sm.

Carum sylvestre (L.) Baill.

Caucalis aequicolorum All.

Cerefolium sylvestre (L.) Bubani

Cerefolium tenuifolium Beck

Chaerefolium sylvestre (L.) Schinz

Chaerophyllum affine Steud. ex A.Rich.

Chaerophyllum alpinum Vill.

Chaerophyllum angulatum Kit. ex Spreng.

Chaerophyllum ateanum (Pau) Pau

Chaerophyllum cadonense Schult. ex Steud.

Chaerophyllum ghilanicum Stapf & Wettst.

Chaerophyllum infestum Salisb.

Chaerophyllum lactescens Rochel ex Steud.

Chaerophyllum sylvestre L.

Chaerophyllum tumidum Gilib.

Myrrhis alpina Steud.

Myrrhis chaerophylloides Hance

Myrrhis sylvestris (L.) Spreng.

Oreochorte yunnanensis (W.W. Sm.) Koso-Pol.

Peucedanum dissectum (C.H. Wright) Dawe

Ptychotis sylvestris Royle

Scandix sylvestris Vest

Selinum cicutaria E.H.L.Krause

Common Name: Cow Parsley

Anthriscus sylvestris
A field of the flowering plant in Sweden
Photograph by: Lars (Lon) Olsson
Creative Commons License
Anthriscus sylvestris Anthriscus sylvestris Anthriscus sylvestris Anthriscus sylvestris Anthriscus sylvestris Anthriscus sylvestris Anthriscus sylvestris

General Information

Anthriscus sylvestris is a biennial (occasionally a short-lived perennial) plant with an erect, branched stem that can be 50 - 120cm tall[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].
Cow Parsley is sometimes harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine.
The plant has spread widely as a result of human activity and is now found in many areas outside its original native range. It is declared noxious weed in parts of N. America.

Known Hazards

This plant is suspected of being poisonous to mammals[
76
Title
Poisonous Plants in Britain and their Effects on Animals and Man.
Publication
 
Author
Cooper. M. and Johnson. A.
Publisher
HMSO
Year
1984
ISBN
0112425291
Description
Concentrates mainly on the effects of poisonous plants to livestock.
]. It also looks very similar to some very poisonous species so great care must be taken when identifying it[
12
Title
Britain's Wild Larder.
Publication
 
Author
Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P.
Publisher
David & Charles; Newton Abbot.
Year
 
ISBN
0-7153-7971-2
Description
A handy pocket guide.
].

Botanical References

17
Title
Flora of the British Isles.
Publication
 
Author
Clapham, Tutin and Warburg.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1962
ISBN
-
Description
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
,
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
,
200
Title
The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Publication
 
Author
Huxley. A.
Publisher
MacMillan Press
Year
1992
ISBN
0-333-47494-5
Description
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.

Range

Most of temperate Eurasia from the Atlantic to Japan, south to the Arabian Peninsula; N. Africa - Morocco to Tunisia.

Habitat

A very common plant of roadsides, hedges etc[
5
Title
Food for Free.
Publication
 
Author
Mabey. R.
Publisher
Collins
Year
1974
ISBN
0-00-219060-5
Description
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
]. Floodplain meadows, willow woods, fruit gardens, parks, ravines, gorges, thinned-out forests, groves[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Properties

Weed PotentialYes
Edibility Rating *  *
Medicinal Rating *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitBiennial
Height1.20 m
PollinatorsBees
Self-fertileYes
Cultivation StatusWild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in most soils. Shade tolerant[
31
Title
Shade Plants for Garden and Woodland.
Publication
 
Author
Brown.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
 
].
The root has been recommended for improvement by selection and breeding as an edible crop[
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
].
This plant looks quite similar to some poisonous species, make sure that you identify it correctly.

Edible Uses

The leaves are eaten raw, cooked as a potherb or used as a flavouring[
5
Title
Food for Free.
Publication
 
Author
Mabey. R.
Publisher
Collins
Year
1974
ISBN
0-00-219060-5
Description
Edible wild plants found in Britain. Fairly comprehensive, very few pictures and rather optimistic on the desirability of some of the plants.
,
12
Title
Britain's Wild Larder.
Publication
 
Author
Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P.
Publisher
David & Charles; Newton Abbot.
Year
 
ISBN
0-7153-7971-2
Description
A handy pocket guide.
,
53
Title
The Wild Garden.
Publication
 
Author
De. Bray. L.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Interesting reading.
,
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. They taste somewhat less than wonderful[
K
Title
Plants for a Future
Author
Ken Fern
Description
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
].

Root - cooked[
183
Title
Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Facciola. S.
Publisher
Kampong Publications
Year
1990
ISBN
0-9628087-0-9
Description
Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
]. The root contains 20.3% starch, 5.7% glucose, 3.3% disaccharide, and 10.5% cellulose[
74
Title
Flora of the USSR.
Publication
 
Author
Komarov. V. L.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Publisher
Israel Program for Scientific Translation
Year
1968
ISBN
-
Description
An immense (25 or more large volumes) and not yet completed translation of the Russian flora. Full of information on plant uses and habitats but heavy going for casual readers. It can be downloaded from the Internet.
].

Medicinal

The root is soaked for several days in rice washings and then cooked with other foods as a tonic to relieve general weakness[
218
Title
Medicinal Plants of China
Publication
 
Author
Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S.
Publisher
Reference Publications, Inc.
Year
1985
ISBN
0-917256-20-4
Description
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
].

Other Uses

A beautiful green dye is obtained from the leaves and stem but it is not very permanent[
115
Title
The Useful Plants of Great Britain.
Publication
 
Author
Johnson. C. P.
Publisher
 
Year
 
ISBN
 
Description
Written about a hundred years ago, but still a very good guide to the useful plants of Britain.
].

Propagation

Seed - sow as soon as ripe (early to mid summer) in situ. The seed can also be sown mid spring in situ. It usually germinates in 1 - 3 months at 20°c.
Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2024-03-28. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Anthriscus+sylvestris>

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