Tough and woody, this dead flowerhead creates a stark snow-capped framework against the cold winter sky. A biennial, Common Hogweed Heracleum spondylium is one of the most well known members of the Apiaceae or Carrot family and is usually found growing in profusion on roadsides, waste ground and at the base of hedges. Common Hogweed is also known as Cow Parsnip and is an Umbelliferous plant closely related to Cow Parsley, Fennel and of course the infamous Giant Hogweed. The young shoots are apparently one of the tastiest wild vegetables to be found, especially when cooked with butter and seasoning. The young leaves can be steamed or used in salads and the flower buds are also edible but the tap-root of is mildly toxic. The main problem is that while some of the Umbellifers are edible, several, such as Hemlock Conium maculatum are highly poisonous, and some veer between the two states depending on their environment. This makes eating members of the Carrot family a slightly fraught experience as the young leaves and shoots can be hard to safely identify!
Common Hogweed Heracleum spondylium (Ivinghoe Beacon, 29/10/2008)
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