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Lesser water parsnip

Lesser water parsnip © Brian Eversham

Lesser water-parsnip

Look out for the white, umbrella-like flower heads of lesser water-parsnip along the shallow margins of ditches, ponds, lakes and rivers. When crushed, it does, indeed, smell like parsnip!

Scientific name

Berula erecta

When to see

July to September

Species information

Category

Statistics

Height: 0.3-1m

Conservation status

Common.

About

The lesser water-parsnip is a perennial, aquatic plant that grows in shallow, clear, flowing water at the margins of ditches, ponds, lakes and rivers. It can grow quite tall and displays umbrella-like flower heads from July to September.

How to identify

Lesser water-parsnip has loose umbels of white flower heads and grooved hollow stems. Its bluish-green leaves are pinnate with varying numbers of leaflets (3 to 14 pairs) that have toothed edges. A characteristic feature of this plant is the presence of a pale ring at the base of the leaf stalk.

Distribution

Mainly found in lowland England, scarce elsewhere.

Did you know?

As its name suggests, lesser water-parsnip smells of parsnip or carrot when it is crushed.