How to Grow and Care for Water parsnips

Hemlock waterparsnip is native to the wetlands of North America and Asia. A vast array of insects are attracted to its flowers and their nectar. Like most hemlocks, parts of this plant can be poisonous, and it is also very similar to far more toxic plants. Care should be taken around any species of hemlock.

This plant grows in wet habitat such as swamps and lakeshores, sometimes in the water. It is a perennial herb with a hollow, grooved stem up to 2 meters tall. The herbage is green and hairless. The leaves are up to 30 cm long with blades borne on hollow petioles that clasp the stem at their bases. The inflorescence is an umbel of white flowers.

Skirret has a cluster of bright white, sweetish, somewhat aromatic roots, each approximately 15 to 20 cm in length. These are used as a vegetable in the same manner as the common salsify, black salsify and the parsnip.