Apiaceae FAMILY

Heracleum sphondylium

Edibility

3/5

Medicinal

2/5

Safety & Hazards

Many members of this genus, including many of the sub-species in this species[ 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. ], contain furanocoumarins. These have carcinogenic, mutagenic and phototoxic properties. See below for more details.

Botanical Description

Heracleum sphondylium is a Biennial/Perennial up to 1.80 metres tall. It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate

Native RangeEurope, including Britain, south of latitude 61° to western N. Africa, west and northern Asia.

HabitatMoist grassland and ditches, by hedges and in woods[ 7 Title Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. Publication Author Chiej. R. Publisher MacDonald Year 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5 Description Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs. , 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. ].