Wildflowers of the United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Heracleum maximum - American Cow Parsnip, Masterwort, American Hogweed, Common Cowparsnip. | While there are about 65 to 70 species of Heracleum worldwide, Heracleum maximum - American Cow Parsnip - is the only one native to North America, and is the only native species in that family found from the east to west coast of North America. It is a large plant, the largest in the Carrot family native to the United States, although an invasive Cow Parsnip - Heracleum mantegazzianum (Giant Hogweed) is even larger. The juice of these plants contain a furanocoumarin compound which causes phytophotodermatitis, an extreme sensitivity to ultraviolet light. This can cause irritation or debilitating blistering of the skin after contact with the juices, and possible blindness if the juice gets in the eye. You should exercise caution (using protection such as gloves and long sleeves) if you must handle the plant, and wash any juices off immediately. That being said, parts of the young plant were used by Native Americans for food, the plant was used in a variety of medicinal treatments, and the hollow stems were used for deer calls. Heracleum maximum is primarily a more northern species, found from Maine to Washington State, and ranging as far south as Georgia in the eastern Appalachians, and south to California, Arizona, and New Mexico in the mountains. It grows in moist woods and meadows. Synonym: Heracleum lanatum Found in: AK, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SD, TN, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY, GS Leave comments on Heracleum maximum at this link.   Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program. Map color key Search Our Database: Enter any portion of the Scientific, Common Name, or both. Do a general Google search of the entire site: #ad  Follow USWildflowers on Twitter
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Code Update 20230302