ExplorePlants

Apioideae

Apioideae is a family of plants that includes many tasty vegetables like carrots and parsley. They have beautiful flowers and are often found in gardens and fields.

Habitat: Gardens and fields

Appearance

The Apioideae subfamily often has hollow stems and feathery, deeply divided leaves. Its small, numerous flowers are typically arranged in flat-topped or dome-shaped clusters called umbels, which can be white, yellow, or pinkish.

KingdomPlantaePhylumStreptophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderApialesFamilyApiaceae

Apioideae

Interesting facts

Some Apioideae plants can make your skin extra sensitive to sunlight!

Their unique flower clusters look like tiny fireworks exploding in the field!

This plant group includes the world's most poisonous plants, like hemlock!

You might not know it, but carrots and celery are both in this family!

Special abilities

Apioideae can produce furanocoumarins that act as a strong defense, making them toxic to many hungry herbivores.

Apioideae has compound umbels that cluster tiny flowers, providing efficient sun exposure and a landing pad for many pollinators.

Apioideae often has hollow stems that make the plant surprisingly strong yet light, helping it grow tall without breaking.

Measurements & details

Height: 10-200 cm
Spread: 15-100 cm
Flower Size: 0.1-0.5 cm
Bloom Season: Spring, Summer
Edible: No
Toxicity: High
Lifecycle: Biennial
Pollination Method: Insect

Ecological connections

eats

Eastern Black Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes

Larvae feed on leaves for growth.

pollinates

European Honey Bee

Apis mellifera

Visits abundant small flowers for nectar.

eaten by

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Grazes on non-toxic members of the subfamily.

parasitizes

Celery Leaf Spot Fungus

Cercospora apii

Infects leaves of many cultivated Apioideae plants.

Traits

Herbaceous

Herbaceous plants are non-woody plants with soft stems that typically die back to the ground at the end of the growing season.

Aromatic

Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.

Ornamental

Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.