Is this plant invasive?

It is native to Europe and Asia and generally considered a beneficial wildflower in its home range.

No, you should always wear gloves and long sleeves when handling it to avoid sap contact.

Plant guide

Common hogweed.

Heracleum sphondylium

Pronounced her-AK-lee-um sfond-ILL-ee-um

Also known as Cow Parsnip, Eltrot, Eurasian cow parsnip, Eurasian cow-parsnip, European cow-parsnip, Hogweed, Keck, Kecks

The common hogweed is a sturdy biennial or short lived perennial plant often found in meadows and along hedgerows. It produces large, flat topped clusters of white flowers that attract many pollinators. You will find it grows quite vigorously in the wild.

At a glance

Care level: Easy
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Indoor light: Direct sun
Water: Every 3 to 7 days
Mature size: 2 meters
Growth rate: Fast
Hardiness: USDA 4 to 9
Bloom time: Early to late summer

Care

This plant thrives in moist, well drained soil and prefers a spot with plenty of room to spread. Watch for aphids on the flower heads and ensure the soil does not dry out completely. It is a very resilient grower that rarely needs extra attention.

Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Feeding: A balanced fertilizer in early spring helps support its rapid growth.
Pruning: Remove spent flower stalks to prevent unwanted self seeding.
Repotting: If grown in a container, move it to a larger pot once the roots fill the space.
Soil: Loamy, moist, and fertile soil
Soil pH: Neutral to slightly alkaline
Temperature: -25 to 30°C
Humidity: 40 to 80%

Safety

People: The sap contains furanocoumarins which cause severe skin blistering when exposed to sunlight.
Pets: This plant can cause skin irritation in pets due to its sap, so it is best to keep them away.
Children: Keep children away from this plant because the sap causes painful skin burns and blisters.
Contact allergens: Contact with the sap can cause phytophotodermatitis, leading to painful rashes or blisters upon sun exposure.
Airborne allergens: The pollen may cause mild respiratory irritation in sensitive individuals.
Edibility: Young shoots are sometimes eaten after cooking, but misidentification with highly toxic relatives like hemlock is a fatal risk.

How to identify it

Large, deeply lobed, hairy leaves
Hollow, ridged, and hairy stems
Flat, umbrella shaped white flower clusters
Winged, oval shaped seeds

Height: 0.5 to 2m
Spread: 0.3 to 1m
Leaves: green, deciduous
Flowers: white, greenish-white, 10 to 20cm
Fruit: brown, Late summer to autumn

Problems to watch for

AphidsCommon
Powdery MildewCommon
Leaf SpotUncommon
RustUncommon

By symptom

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Growing it

Propagation: seed
When to plant: spring, autumn

Plant in a sunny meadow area with other native perennials to support local insect populations.

Grows well with

Meadow Buttercup · They share similar meadow habitats and bloom times.
Oxeye Daisy · They create a classic wildflower meadow aesthetic together.

Similar species

Giant Hogweed · This is a much larger and more dangerous invasive plant that looks similar.

Science

Family: Apiaceae
Genus: Heracleum
Order: Apiales
Class: Magnoliopsida
Native range: Europe, Western Asia, and Northern Africa.
Conservation: It is a common and widespread species not currently under conservation threat.

It thrives in nutrient-rich soils and often colonizes disturbed ground or grassy verges.

Value to wildlife: nectar source, larval host plant
Pollinators: bees, butterflies, beetles
Uses: wildlife garden, meadow planting

Through the year

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Flowering

Fruiting

Foliage

Ecological indicators

Salinity: 1/9
Soil reaction: 6/9
Light: 5/9
Temperature: 5/9
Moisture: 5/9
Nutrients: 7/9

Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.

Questions people ask

Is this plant invasive?: It is native to Europe and Asia and generally considered a beneficial wildflower in its home range.
Can I touch it?: No, you should always wear gloves and long sleeves when handling it to avoid sap contact.

Where the name comes from

The genus name Heracleum honors the Greek hero Heracles, while the species name sphondylium refers to the shape of the stem.

Good to know

It is a member of the carrot family.
The flowers are arranged in large, flat-topped umbels.
It is a vital food source for many insects.

Also in

Plants toxic to cats and dogs

Keep your common hogweed growing

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This guide was generated with AI on September 26, 2026 and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.