Cow parsnip is known in our field guides as Heracleum lanatum, although it sometimes has other names. The flowers are typically displayed in big, flattish inflorescences called “umbels,” each umbel ...

While out exploring, Evie came across Cow Parsnip—a towering wildflower that’s a magnet for pollinators. Learn how this native plant draws in bees, flies, and other insects, all searching for pollen ...

Out on the wetlands at the end of Industrial Boulevard in early July, Lincoln’s sparrows and savannah sparrows were everywhere, chipping and flitting. Shorebirds were foraging in the sloughs at low ...

Multiple cow parsnip plants grow along a trail near the University of Alaska Anchorage on Tuesday, July 23, 2024. (Matt Faubion/Alaska Public Media) It's peak season for Alaska's cow parsnip, those ...

Of all the people I know, I suspect Joe Derek is the only one who would reach out to tell me he has 50 cow parsnip plants growing in his yard. I did not initially share his excitement for them, at ...

A hazardous, invasive plant that can cause severe burns is spreading rapidly across North America, threatening native ecosystems and human safety. Wild parsnip (and its cousin, cow parsnip) form dense ...