Cow parsley, wild chervil, wild beaked parsley or keck

Cow parsley, wild chervil – (Anthriscus sylvestris)

The cow parsley is a plant species of the genus chervil (Anthriscus) within the family of umbellifers. Among the Central European umbellifers it is the earliest flowering species.

The cow parsley is a perennial herbaceous plant. It grows to 60 to 150 cm. The cow parsley has a strong root carrot and a hollow stem with furrows. The leaves are fine and multiple pinnate and triangular in shape. The small flowers are grouped into umbels and carry a lot of nectar. For this reason, the inflorescences are always visited by insects.

Occurrence cow parsley

The cow parsley occurs very frequently in fatty meadows, especially on fresh, nutrient-rich to overfertilized soils.

Effect cow parsley

Only when young does it produce an almost usable fodder plant. Mature plants are rough and taste bitter. They therefore do not like to be eaten. With the young leaves wool can be dyed yellow, they are also eaten as wild vegetables.