Leaf
Françoise Carle, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Hogweed
Heracleum sphondylium L.
Also known as: Common hogweed, Cow parsnip
Family: Apiaceae
50 cm to 1.5 m tall
Meadows, banks, track edges
Flowering: June – September
Full sun
Part shade
Shade
Hardy to -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Much more common and less dangerous than giant hogweed, an invasive relative it should not be mistaken for.
🍃 Leaves
Very large, divided into broad toothed segments, slightly hairy
🌸 Flowers
White, in large flat umbels, outer flowers often larger
🍎 Fruits
Large flat ovate achenes
🪵 Bark
Sturdy, hollow, ridged and hairy herbaceous stem
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia; very common in meadows, banks and track edges in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large white umbels very rich in nectar, among the most visited by a great diversity of pollinating insects.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Little grown as an ornamental, rather left in a wildflower meadow or naturalistic garden for beneficial fauna.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Photosensitising sap: on contact with skin exposed to the sun, it can cause burns and irritation; to be distinguished from giant hogweed, which is far more dangerous.
🌿 Other Apiaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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