Cow Parsley

Anthriscus sylvestris

Please keep in mind that it is illegal to uproot a plant without the landowner's consent and care should be taken at all times not to damage wild plants. Wild plants should never be picked for pleasure and some plants are protected by law.
For more information please download the BSBI Code of Conduct PDF document.

Plant Data

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Order:

Apiales

Family:

Apiaceae (Carrot)

Also in this family:

Alexanders, Common Hogweed, Edible Carrot, Fool's Watercress, Garden Parsley, Giant Hogweed, Greater Burnet-saxifrage, Ground Elder, Hemlock, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Lesser Marshwort, Pignut, Pink Masterwort, Rock Samphire, Sanicle, Sea Holly, Sweet Cicely, Upright Hedge Parsley, Wild Angelica, Wild Carrot, Wild Fennel, Wild Parsnip

Type:

Flower

Maximum Size:

1 metre tall

Habitats:

Hedgerows, meadows, riverbanks, roadsides, woodland.

Flower:

White, 5 petals

White umbels without lower bracts, up to 6cm.

Fruit:

Hairless, elliptical, smooth and shiny, dark brown but turning black with maturity.

Leaves:

Divided leaves and feathery, fern-like.

Aroma:

The leaves smell strongly of aniseed when crushed.

Other Names:

Adder's Meat, Badman's Oatmeal, Blackman's Tobacco, Devil's Meat, Fairy Lace, Grandpa's Pepper, Hedge Parsley, Keck, Kecksie, Kex, Kill-your-mother-quick, Lady's Lace, Mother-die, Queen Anne's Lace, Queque, Rabbit Meal, Spanish Lace, Step-mother, Wild Beaked Parsley, Wild Chervil.

Frequency (UK):

Abundant

Similar Species:

Sweet Cicely
Upright Hedge Parsley

Distribution Map

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

Click to open an Interactive Map