Heracleum lanatum 

'Cow Parsnip'

[Syn. Heracleum sphondylium ssp. Montanum]

Apiaceae: a perennial growing to 2.4m. Found on rich damp soils of prairies and mountains, especially along streams and in open woods. The flowers are pinkish or white flowers with 5 petals. They are arranged in large umbels of up to 20 cm of diameter with 15 to 30 rays, blooming from June-September. The small fruits are flattened and winged. The leaves can reach 50cm in length. They are pinnate, hairy and serrated, divided into 3–5 lobed segments. Native to North America to Western Asia.

USES:

Native Americans of Alaska, British Columbia, the Great Plains, and Arizona used cow parsnip for medicinal and nutritional purposes. Native Americans in Alaska ate the inside of stems raw and boiled the roots to extract sugar. In Arizona, the Apache ate the young leaves and stems and used the roots to treat epilepsy.

All parts of the plant have antirheumatic, antispasmodic, carminative, febrifuge, odontalgic and stimulant properties.

GROWING INFORMATION:

Cold-germinators are still referred to as frost-germinators, although this isn’t quite correct. The sowing must be kept warm (about +18 to +22°C) [about 64 to 72°F] and moist for the first 2–4 weeks. After this period the sowing must be kept at a cold temperature (between –4 and +4°C) [between 25 and 39°F] for another 4–6 weeks. Succeeds in any ordinary garden soil, doing best in moist soils, In full sun to part-shade.

HARVESTED: 2022*

 
APPROX. 50+ SEEDS