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A wide variety of plants growing in the Medieval Herb Garden on a sunny day

Medieval herb garden blog 69: Cow parsley

Thursday, May 07, 2026

Week 69 volunteer update

Due to the recent heavy downpour, the garden has put on a spurt of growth. The liquorice that was around 2 inches (5 cm) high last week is now around 6 inches (15 cm) high. The weeds are also back with a vengeance.

Unfortunately, due to the strength of the rain, some plants got flattened. This included the purple sages and the variegated mugwort.

A shoot of liquorice plant with dark red stalk and green leaves beginning to appear

The liquorice continuing to grow in the Medieval Herb Garden

Kim weeded in front of the lavender 'hedge'. This always makes the Medieval Herb Garden look neater. Carole dug up our patch of 'curated' nettles. It had become completely overgrown by grass and cinquefoil which couldn’t be weeded out. We will find a new patch of nettles to replace it in the coming weeks.

Carole cut back some of the flattened variegated mugwort. It was damaging the normal mugwort planted nearby. She also transplanted some to the rear of the bed as its usual height would mask some of the plants behind it.

Carole then started to review the layout of the MHG. New items will be arriving soon, and she needed to decide where best to place them.

Plant of the week: Cow parsley (anthriscus sylvestris)

The name 'anthriscus' comes from 'anthryscum', from the Greek 'ánthryskon'. This is the name for chervil, a plant related to parsley. 'Sylvestris' comes from 'sylva', which is Latin for 'woodland' or 'forest'. 'Cow' implies it is a wild or poor-quality parsley, fit only to be fed to cattle. It is commonly known as Queen Anne's lace, mother die, wild beaked parsley, fairy lace, lady’s lace, hedge parsley and Devil’s parsley.

Cow parsley is native to Europe, Western Asia and Northwest Africa. It is an upright, herbaceous, biennial or short-lived perennial plant. It can grow in any moist but well-drained soil, in full-sun or partial-shade. It has a height of 2ft to 6ft (60cm to 180cm) with a spread of 3ft (90cm).

Cow parsley produces clumps of fresh green, fern-like leaves. It has upright, hollow, slightly hairy stems up to 4ft (120cm) tall. The leaves are strongly divided in shape. They have an alternate leaf arrangement with a distinct V-shaped groove on the leaf stem.

Cow parsley flowers from April to June. It has compound, umbrella-shaped flower heads (umbels). These are made up of several smaller, secondary umbels (umbellets) which are generally flat-topped to slightly domed. Each individual flower has 5 white petals.

It produces oblong fruits that become black or dark brown when ripe. The plant can readily self-seed.

Clusters of tiny white flowers growing on the end of fuzzy green stems

Cow parsley in flower in the Medieval Herb Garden

Culinary uses of cow parsley

Cow parsley has a “mild, grassy, parsley-like flavour, often with subtle hints of liquorice, aniseed, or carrot”. The young leaves can be used fresh or dried. They can be added to soups, omelettes, casseroles, potatoes and salads.

Please note: the roots contain toxic compounds. The plant can easily be confused with hemlock (conium maculatum).

Use of cow parsley as a dye plant

Cow parsley leaves and stalks can produce a bright yellow dye.

Folklore and other facts about cow parsley

The dried stems of cow parsley were often used as pea-shooters.

One of the common names of 'mother die' was linked to the idea that your mother would die if the plant was brought indoors. This was intended to prevent children from accidentally picking hemlock.

In folklore, cow parsley was believed to have magical properties. Burning the dried stems was thought to ward off evil spirits. It was also associated with witchcraft.

Some believe the flower got one of its common names because the white, intricate, 'living lace' flower reminded people of the lace hairpieces popular during Queen Anne’s reign.

Cow parsley flowers provide an early source of nectar for many pollinators and beneficial insects. These include hoverflies, other flies and beetles. Its seeds are eaten by small birds.

Medieval medicinal uses of cow parsley*

Cow parsley was used in traditional medicines. It was used for digestive, anti-inflammatory and diuretic purposes. It helped to treat kidney or urinary stones, breathing difficulties and colds. It was also used as mosquito repellent.

*As always, this isn't to be considered medical advice today. Please don't use any plants mentioned in these blogs as medicine without advice from a doctor.

Medieval herb garden blogs

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