# Parsnip Chervil (*Chaerophyllum bulbosum*)

Parsnip Chervil is a tasty plant that grows in the wild. It has pretty white flowers and can be found in grassy places. It's a fun plant to discover while exploring nature!

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Parsnip Chervil](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Chaerophyllum_bulbosum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-177.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chaerophyllum_bulbosum_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-177.jpg)

## Appearance

The Parsnip Chervil has delicate, fern-like leaves and hollow, ridged stems that can reach up to a meter tall. Its small, white flowers are clustered in flat-topped groups, resembling tiny lace doilies, which stand out against its bright green foliage.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Apiales
- **Family:** Apiaceae
- **Genus:** Chaerophyllum

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Romans loved this plant, calling its unique root 'earthnut'.
- Before eating, its tasty roots should be cooked; raw they can be a bit bitter.
- Its chunky root tastes like a delicious mix of potato, parsnip, and chestnut!
- The plant’s delicate leaves are often mistaken for parsley or carrot tops!

## Special abilities

- **Energy Root:** Parsnip Chervil can store energy in its swollen, turnip-like root, which helps it survive winter and grow strongly.
- **Pollinator Platform:** Parsnip Chervil has wide, flat flower clusters that act as easy landing pads, attracting many different insect pollinators.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 30-100 cm
- **Spread:** 20-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.4 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Biennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Drinks nectar from its many tiny white flowers.
- **Pollinates:** Common carder bee (*Bombus pascuorum*) — Collects pollen and nectar from its open flower heads.
- **Eats:** [European rabbit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-rabbit) (*Oryctolagus cuniculus*) — Browses on its tender leaves and young shoots in fields.

## Traits

- [Aromatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aromatic): Aromatic plants produce and emit fragrant volatile organic compounds, often for defense or to attract pollinators.
- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [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.
- [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.
- [Spice](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spice): This human use trait indicates species from which spices are derived, used for flavoring, preserving food, or as aromatic agents.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Always check with an adult before touching or tasting wild plants.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Parsnip Chervil?

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 Parsnip Chervil?

30-100 cm

### How wide does Parsnip Chervil spread?

20-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on Parsnip Chervil?

0.2-0.4 cm

### When does Parsnip Chervil bloom?

Late spring to early summer

### Is Parsnip Chervil edible?

Yes

### Is Parsnip Chervil toxic?

None

### What is Parsnip Chervil's lifecycle?

Biennial

## 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*)

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Source: [Parsnip Chervil: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/parsnip-chervil)