Calflora
Taxon  Report   9546    
Heracleum maximum  W. Bartram
Common cowparsnip
Heracleum maximum
© 2018 Bill Schmidt
Photos from
CalPhotos / Calflora
Heracleum maximum
© 2018 Lynn Overtree
Heracleum maximum
© 2006 Louis-M. Landry
Heracleum maximum, a dicot, is a perennial herb that is native to California, is also found elsewhere in North America and beyond.

Interactive Distribution Map


Observation Hotline
(observation details)



point, line, or polygon

Plant Characteristics
and Associations


Bloom Period
Heracleum maximum
© 2018 Julie Kierstead Nelson
Family: APIACEAE  
Genus: Heracleum
Communities: Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest, Subalpine Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland, (many plant communities)

Wetlands:
Arid West: Occurs usually in wetlands, occasionally in non wetlands
Mountains, Valleys and Coast: Equally likely to occur in wetlands and non wetlands

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS

 Alternate Names:
ICPN: Heracleum sphondylium
PLANTS: Heracleum sphondylium ssp. montanum
PLANTS: Heracleum sphondylium var. lanatum
. . .
More information about  Heracleum maximum
Nursery / seed vendor availability from CNPLX
This plant is available commercially.
Landscaping information from Calscape
Photos on PlantID.net   /   Google Images
Jepson eFlora

Records from the Consortium of California Herbaria

USDA PLANTS Profile (HEMA80)

Search efloras.org (Flora of North America)

website references from Google


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals, including the Consortium of California Herbaria. [web application]. 2018. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: Dec 16, 2018).