cow parsnip

American  

noun

1. any of several tall, coarse plants of the genus Heracleum, of the parsley family, as H. sphondylium or H. lanatum, having large, flat clusters of white flowers.

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cow parsnip British  

noun

1. Also called: hogweed.   keck.  any tall coarse umbelliferous plant of the genus Heracleum, such as H. sphondylium of Europe and Asia, having thick stems and flattened clusters of white or purple flowers

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Etymology

Origin of cow parsnip

First recorded in 1540–50

Example Sentences

Fire is bad for all animals, but the first plants that come back, benefiting from openings in the tree canopy, are really good food for bears: huckleberry, cow parsnip and horsetail, to name a few.

From Seattle Times • May 6, 2024

The first plants to grow back, including huckleberry, cow parsnip and horsetail, are often plants that grizzlies like to eat.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 26, 2023

It was that which is known in some places as master-wort, but more commonly by the name of cow parsnip.

From The Hunters' Feast Conversations Around the Camp Fire by Reid, Mayne