Peirsil bhó
Latin name: Anthriscus sylvestris
The cow parsley is a biennial plant, meaning that it takes two years to complete its lifecycle. It thrives in shady places, such as grassy banks and hedgerows, and really dislikes wet, boggy ground. It is quite hardy, and can survive a lot of traffic fumes as well as farmers’ sprays!
Would you have guessed that the cow parsley is a member of the carrot family? It is also related to the giant hogweed, which is highly poisonous. Although children sometimes use the hollow stems of the cow parsley as blowpipes, you must be extremely careful not to mistake the poisonous giant hogweed for cow parsley.
The cow parsley flowers from April to June. Have you ever heard people talking about Queen Anne’s lace? This is common name for cow parsley, and really is an altogether more elegant one for such a graceful plant!
The tiny white flowers of the cow parsley grow in little bunches. These bunches are spread out over the top of the plant, appearing like delicate umbrellas that are supported by the long hollow stalks. The flowers give off a very distinctive, dewy, scent. Although it might not be the most pleasant smell to everyone, it does attract a huge number of insects!
The fruit of the cow parsley is long, smooth, and shiny black. It usually ripens in late June to July and falls off by September. Its fresh, fern-like, triangular leaves are also very distinctive.
Many people consider this plant a nuisance weed in gardens because it spreads very quickly. However, it is often used by florists in flower arrangements, as ithe tiny delicate flowers look well beside other brightly coloured flowers.