Anthriscus sylvestris
(L.) Hoffm.
Apiaceae
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
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 Potential | Yes |
| Edibility Rating |  |
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Other Uses Rating |  |
| Habit | Biennial |
| Height | 1.20 m |
| Pollinators | Bees |
| Self-fertile | Yes |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
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.
If you have any useful information about this plant, please leave a comment. Comments have to be approved before they are shown here.
Useful Temperate Plants Database 2016 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
