# Cow Parsley (*Anthriscus sylvestris*) Cow Parsley is a tall, leafy plant with fluffy white flowers that bloom in spring and summer. It grows in fields and along roadsides, making it a lovely sight in nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Cow Parsley](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Anthriscus_sylvestris_infructescence.JPG&width=800) Photo: Asaspor, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anthriscus_sylvestris_infructescence.JPG) ## Appearance The Cow Parsley has delicate clusters of tiny white flowers forming flat-topped 'umbels' atop hollow, ridged stems. Its lacy, fern-like leaves are a vibrant green, giving it a frothy appearance along hedgerows and verges. Unlike its poisonous look-alikes, its stems are typically green and hairy, not purple-spotted and smooth. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Apiales - **Family:** Apiaceae - **Genus:** Anthriscus ## Interesting facts - Cow Parsley can create a beautiful 'white wave' effect along roadsides in spring! - It's often confused with deadly Hemlock, so never taste it without an expert! - Its hollow stems were once used by children to make pea-shooters and whistles! - The seeds have tiny hooks that help them hitchhike on passing animals! ## Special abilities - **Mimicry Shield:** Cow Parsley can look very similar to dangerous plants, which might make some animals avoid it, helping it stay safe. - **Nectar Beacon:** It produces abundant nectar, attracting many different insects, which helps it get pollinated by lots of visitors. - **Rapid Colonizer:** Cow Parsley can quickly spread its seeds and establish itself in new areas, allowing it to dominate open spaces. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Biennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Buff-tailed Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — an important pollinator for its flowers - **Eaten by:** [Roe Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — browses on young leaves and stems - **Shelter:** Common Fruit Fly (*Drosophila melanogaster*) — larvae can be found in dying stems - **Eats:** Old World Swallowtail (*Papilio machaon*) — larvae occasionally feed on leaves ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Don't touch or eat any plants without asking an adult first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Cow Parsley? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Cow Parsley? 60-150 cm ### How wide does Cow Parsley spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on Cow Parsley? 0.2-0.3 cm ### When does Cow Parsley bloom? Spring to early Summer ### Is Cow Parsley edible? Yes ### Is Cow Parsley toxic? None ### What is Cow Parsley's lifecycle? Biennial ## Where to spot - [Appleton Farms](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/appleton-farms) — Massachusetts, US · Nature Reserve - [Ascutney Mill Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ascutney-mill-dam) — New Hampshire, US · Historic Site - [Rosensteinpark Stuttgart](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rosensteinpark-stuttgart) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park [View all places to see Cow Parsley](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cow-parsley) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Cow Parsley: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cow-parsley)