Wikimedia Commons
Apiaceae
Hogweed
Heracleum sphondylium
Resilience and untamed countryside.
- Family
- Apiaceae
- Genus
- Heracleum
- Native to
- Europe, western Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 100–200 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun to part shade
- Soil
- moist, nutrient-rich
- Water
- moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 3–9
- Lifespan
- perennial; 3–5 years typical
Did you know
- The genus name Heracleum honors Hercules, reflecting the plant's robust stature.
- Common hogweed sap can cause mild skin irritation, though far less dangerous than giant hogweed.
- Historically the young shoots were eaten as a vegetable in eastern Europe, cooked like asparagus.
- Its broad umbels can host over 100 insect species on a single flower head.
- Hogweed seeds were once fermented to make a beer-like drink in parts of Scandinavia.
Color meanings
White
wild endurance
Pinkish-White
rustic strength