Right now Cow Parsnip is coming into its peak. It’s a giant of a plant with huge white umbels of white flowers floating on green stems that have leaves shaped somewhat like maple leaves.
Cow Parsnip prefers moist ground in either sunny or partially sunny places. On the island we see it growing along roadsides where there are wet seeps to keep the soil moist. You will rarely see the plant in a cow pasture because cattle love the stuff and eat it to the ground. So do bear and elk…but the deer seem to leave it alone.
Native Americans and white settlers also enjoyed the plant and prepared it by either peeling the stems and eating it like celery or by boiling the stems until tender and eating them like stewed carrots with butter and salt.
These plants will grow to 5 or 6 feet in height. Before you try the taste of one, make certain you have the right plant. Cow Parsnip has look-a-likes including water hemlock, angelica and hogweed…all of which should not be eaten…or in some cases even tampered with…
Medicinally, the plant was used to alleviate tooth ache and the root was used to stimulate nerve regrowth. Native Americans would burn the bottom of the stems and then grind the blackened crunchy remains and use it like salt.
The flower heads have a rankish odor when fresh but the dried flowers are used in large bouquets.
I once read that an entomologist had counted 118 different insects the pollinated the giant flowers. It is rare to find a cow parsnip that does not have a collection of busy insects scurrying over the flower heads.
This photo was taken on Legoe Bay Rd. Where it crosses over the slough and there is a fine display on the side of Nugent Rd. immediately south of the Legoe Bay Rd. intersection.
Dal Neitzel