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[].
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[]. It also looks very similar to some very poisonous species so great care must be taken when identifying it[].

Botanical References

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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[]. Floodplain meadows, willow woods, fruit gardens, parks, ravines, gorges, thinned-out forests, groves[].

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[].
The root has been recommended for improvement by selection and breeding as an edible crop[].
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[, , , ]. They taste somewhat less than wonderful[].

Root - cooked[]. The root contains 20.3% starch, 5.7% glucose, 3.3% disaccharide, and 10.5% cellulose[].

Medicinal

The root is soaked for several days in rice washings and then cooked with other foods as a tonic to relieve general weakness[].

Other Uses

A beautiful green dye is obtained from the leaves and stem but it is not very permanent[].

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.