Cow Parsley

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It's getting a little late in the year, but don't forget the delights of Cow Parsley or Wild Chervil a great herb to use as a slightly stronger flavoured substitute for Parsley.

Just pick the greenest, freshest tips of the plant - the older leaves can be woody and overpowering...

Enjoy!

[Dave]

I'll jump in and eat most things but have always steered clear of wild Umbelliferae family through fear of eating Hemlock. How do you know you defiantly have chervil, cow parsley and not hemlock?

[Andy Hamilton]

Come and have a look at the chervil that I have growing in my back yard so you know what you are looking for. I think growing various wild herbs for at least one year is a good way to identify them in subsequent years.

The smell of chervil is similar to aniseed and the stems have hairs on them.

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I guess I've always lived around it so know what to look for.

But hairyness is a factor (hemlock is hairless) and closeness to water is another (hemlock will be close to water).

[update]

I had a great chance to compare the two yesterday as my brother had some hemlock growing in a flower bed of all places ... definitely hairless and spots along the 'trunk' of the hemlock also.

[mybarnconversion]

Make sure it is cow parsley ... the risks of hemlock ...

[Sassinak]

So any ideas how Sweet Cicily fits into this family. Very aniseed smelling and aparently edible but they are all so similar.

[ohareward]

Sweet Cicely is edible. Go to-

www.4qd.org/fff/cicely.html

The foliage and flowers are similar to hemlock. The spots on hemlock are usually purple and are very distinctive. The smell is also quite noticable.

Robin

[mrsflibble]

if I post a pic of a plant which might be edible, or might kill me can you guys try and identify it please? will post it probably tomorrow 'cos I got to go find the bugger and photograph it lol.

[Dave]

We'll do our best but going to have to put up a big old disclaimer for legal reasons. All advice given here is not the responsibility of Dave, Andy or any of the Selfsufficientish team, you take any advice at your own risk. i.e. If someone tells you a plant is fine and it kills you, your family can't sue us.

That aside if you tell us where the plant was and approx height then someone should be able to identify it for you!

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That aside if you tell us where the plant was and approx height then someone should be able to identify it for you!

...yes, details of its exact location (shade, moisture etc.) will be useful & relevant.