Heracleum maximum
Apiaceae
Cow Parsnip
Erect, stout, strongly scented, covered with long hairs. Stem single, hollow, usually branched. Leaves huge, maple-like, with 4–16 in. long petiole enlarged at base and widely sheathing. Leaf blade divided palmately into 3 parts, each to 12 in. long and coarsely toothed. Umbels of flower heads often more than 10 in. across, flat. Grows in streambanks, open or lightly shaded woods, moist places, from near coastline to high elevations. A large plant appropriately named for Hercules, son of Zeus, a mortal of extraordinary power and size.
- Rarity: Common
- Flowering Time: Late Spring, Early Summer
- Flower Form: 5 tiny petals fls. in umbel (parsley famly)
- Life Cycle: Perennial
- Height: 3–10 feet
- Habitat: Coastal, Disturbed, East-side Forest, Meadow, Subalpine, Vernal Wet, West-side Forest
- Found In: Columbia Basin, East Gorge, Mt. Rainier NP, N Cascades NP, Olympic NP, Siskiyous, Steens, Wallowas, West Gorge
- Native: Yes
- Latin Synonyms: Heracleum lanatum
