OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Campanulids: Apiales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Heracleum maximum   FAMILY Apiaceae   Go to FSUS key



SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Heracleum maximum   FAMILY Apiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Heracleum maximum

SYNONYMOUS WITH Great Plains Flora Association (1986)

Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 140-36-001:

Heracleum lanatum   FAMILY Apiaceae

 

COMMON NAME:
Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913    pnd_hela4_001_lvd

        

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide    pnd_hema80_004_lvd

        

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm0505n_08

May    Jackson County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    s050522_ab

May    Jackson County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

The large leaves are divided into 3 toothed, lobed, maple-like leaflets, per Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge Parkway (Alderman, 1997).


click here to see other plants that look similar to this COMPARE compound leaves of woodland herbs, with toothed margins

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm0506p_21

June    Jackson County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

Umbels up to 8" across; outer flowers larger with lobed petals, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm0506p_23

June    Jackson County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

The sheaths of the petioles expanded to as much as 2" wide, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm0506p_24

June    Jackson County    NC

Blue Ridge Parkway

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_028

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_029

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

The umbels are compound; peduncles tomentose to villous, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_031

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_034

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

Fruit puberulent or glabrate, strongly flattened, oil tubes clearly visible, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_037

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_040

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_043

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

image of Heracleum maximum, Cow-parsnip, American Hogweed, Masterwort

JK Marlow    jkm090707_082

July    Avery County    NC

The Roan Highlands

 

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Heracleum maximum   FAMILY Apiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Heracleum maximum   FAMILY Apiaceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Heracleum maximum

SYNONYMOUS WITH Great Plains Flora Association (1986)
Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum

SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 140-36-001:
Heracleum lanatum   FAMILY Apiaceae

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

662

Forb
Biennial

Habitat: northern hardwood forests, roadbanks, meadows, forest openings, grassy balds, rich floodplain forests, per Weakley's Flora

Native to North Carolina & Georgia

Uncommon in NC Mountains, rare in GA

map
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

LEAVES:
Ternately or pinnately compound
Alternate

FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
White
Somewhat asymmetrical
5-merous
Inferior ovary
Bisexual & staminate

Flowers in compound umbels

FRUIT:
Summer
Schizocarp of two mericarps

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


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