Wild Chervil

Wild Chervil, Cow Parsley

Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoff.

Apiaceae, the Carrot Family

▲ ▼ Mature, flowering plant, with fruit in center right (above)

Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoff.; Wild Chervil, Cow Parsley: (Bayer Code: ANRSY; US Code ANSY)

  • Cool-season annual or biennial in the Carrot family
  • First produces a rosette of overall triangular-shaped, but finely-divided leaves with slight herbal odor
  • Inflorescences are open umbels of clusters of tiny white flowers; base of each sub-umbel surrounded by five oval bracts with hairy edges
  • Individual flowers often have one larger petal toward outside of umbel
  • Fruit is hairless, upright, green, becoming yellow when ripe, about 0.25 inch long
  • Stems are smooth to slightly hairy, particularly on ridges; base of leaves surround stem
  • More common in northern and eastern midwest

(Posted January 15, 2019)

Go to Midwest Weeds and Wildflowers Home Page