Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Cow-parsnip at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
662
Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Apiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Heracleum maximum
FAMILY
Apiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Heracleum maximum
FAMILY
Apiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 140-36-001:
Heracleum lanatum
FAMILY
Apiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
-
Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum
SYNONYMOUS WITH
-
Heracleum sphondylium var. lanatum
COMMON NAME:
Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort
To see a detailed map, click here
Look for it in forests, roadbanks, meadows, forest openings, per Weakley's Flora
Forb
Biennial
Native to North Carolina & Georgia
Documented growing wild in
GA
NC
-
Uncommon in NC, rare in GA
LEAVES:
Ternately or pinnately compound
Alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
White
Bisexual & staminate
Somewhat asymmetrical
5-merous
Inferior ovary
Flowers in compound umbels
FRUIT:
Summer
Schizocarp of two mericarps
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
Heracleum maximum FAMILY Apiaceae
Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Read more about Cow-parsnip at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Click the thumbnails to see larger pictures.
JK Marlow s050522_ab
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
The large leaves are divided into 3 toothed, lobed, maple-like leaflets, per Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
COMPARE
compound leaves of woodland herbs, with toothed margins
JK Marlow jkm0506p_21
June Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
Umbels up to 8" across; outer flowers larger with lobed petals, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains.
JK Marlow jkm0506p_23
June Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
The sheaths of the petioles expanded to as much as 2" wide, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains.
JK Marlow jkm090707_029
July Avery County NC
The Roan Highlands
The umbels are compound; peduncles tomentose to villous, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
JK Marlow jkm090707_034
July Avery County NC
The Roan Highlands
Fruit puberulent or glabrate, strongly flattened, oil tubes clearly visible, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.