SINCE 1828

An Encyclopædia Britannica Company

cow parsnip

noun

Definition of cow parsnip

: a tall perennial North American plant (Heracleum lanatum) of the carrot family with large compound leaves and broad umbels of white or purplish flowers; also : a related Eurasian plant (H. sphondylium) naturalized in the U.S.

First Known Use of cow parsnip

1548

Learn More about cow parsnip

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cow parsnip

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