Common Cowparsnip

Heracleum maximum

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Taxonomy

Division:: Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:: Apiaceae
Genus:: Heracleum
Species:: Heracleum maximum

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:: Perennial
Growth Habit:: Forb/herb
Height:: 6-8 ft
Light Requirements:: Shade
Drought Tolerance:: High
Bloom Months:: feb, mar, apr, may, jun, jul, aug, sep
Bloom Colors:: White

Native Range

United States: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Agonopterix clemensella, Agonopterix flavicomella, Harris's Dagger Moth (Papaipema harrisii), Impecunious Borer Moth (Papaipema impecuniosa), parsnip webworm (Depressaria pastinacella), white-spotted pug (Eupithecia tripunctaria), Anise Swallowtail (Papilio zelicaon), Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes), Old World Swallowtail (Papilio machaon), short-tailed swallowtail (Papilio brevicauda)

Reported Fauna Sightings

Bees: Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Black-tailed bumble bee (Bombus melanopygus), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Common eastern bumble bee (Bombus impatiens), Cryptic bumble bee (Bombus cryptarum), Cryptic bumble bee (Bombus cryptarum), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fernald cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus flavidus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Half-black bumble bee (Bombus vagans), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Indiscriminate cuckoo bumble bee (Bombus insularis), Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), Sitka bumble bee (Bombus sitkensis), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), van Dyke bumble bee (Bombus vandykei), Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis), Western bumble bee (Bombus occidentalis)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:: rich, moist, well-drained loamy soil
pH:: 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:: tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:: consistently moist
Notes:: Thrives in riparian zones and wet meadows.

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Seal the seeds in a container with an equal mix of seeds with perlite or vermiculite. Add just enough water to barely saturate the mixture and store in a refrigerator for at least 2 months. Alternatively, a 72 hour water soak of fresh seeds can be used, changing the water daily. Seeds should then be placed into a 100 day cold, moist stratification in a ventilated container under refrigeration at 1 to 3C.

Establishment: Seeds may not germinate in the first year and may require temperatures of 22C or above during the day and 13C to 16C at night in early June in the outdoor nursery. Transplant survival averages 50%. Conflicting information exists regarding the optimal stratification period, with recommendations ranging from 2 weeks to 2-3 months.

Source: npn.rngr.net