Cow parsnip is known in our field guides as Heracleum lanatum, although it sometimes has other names. The flowers are typically displayed in big, flattish inflorescences called “umbels,” each umbel ...

In the sunlight, heat and moisture of July, roadside plants abound. During wet years, they become especially thick and tall. It is easy for the passerby to see purple of fireweed and milkweed, yellow ...

Of all the people I know, I suspect Joe Derek is the only one who would reach out to tell me he has 50 cow parsnip plants growing in his yard. I did not initially share his excitement for them, at ...

From time to time, I venture out on the wetlands. I have to prepare myself to endure the racket from aircraft. In addition to the occasional roar of the big planes, there’s the somewhat lesser roar ...