Participant Info

Species

Heracleum maximum [Heracleum maximum ssp. sphondylium] [Heracleum sphondylium] [Heracleum lanatum]

Family

Apiaceae

CommonName

cow parsnip

Presence

Yes

Status

native

EarliestDate

1945

LatestDate

2018

Ecosystem

basin, montane, subalpine

Geobotanical

Garitas, SSanjuans, Culebras, NCristos, UBasin

Counties

Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, Archuleta

Passes

Cumbres, Wolf Creek

WildlifePreserves

Baca, Big Meadows Reservoir, Great Sand Dunes

Other Localities

PhotoRecords

YES Rich Haswell: Mineral Co, Big Meadows Reservoir 14 May 2018

Comments

Cow parsnip is common from montane to subalpine on both sides of the Valley, most often by creeks and in wet meadows. Despite its common name, it is toxic to cattle—as well also to some humans. Heracleum maximum is present over most of the USA except for Texas and the deep South, although that range depends one how willing one is to divide it into species, subspecies, and varieties. It follows the Rio Grande drainage only as far as Santa Fe Co, New Mexico.

Annotation