Cow Parsnip--Heracleum lanatum

Cow parsnip, also called wild celery, is an important medicine and food plant for the native Americans. It is a large herb that grows as tall as six feet or eight feet tall. Its small flowers form large white umbels, and its large leaves that composed of toothed lobed leaflets. The stem of the upper leaves are surrounded by an inflated sheath. Both the stem and tap root are very thick, the stem becoming woody with age. Most of the plant is covered with hairs that may cause irritation to the skin. Even though cow parsnip is not poisonous it may be confused with plants that are very poisonous such as angelica or poison hemlock. Heracleum lanatum is a species that have seen in North Carolina, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. I would love to try growing this plant in the garden.