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East Asian hogweed is a cousin of North America's cow parsnip that grows wild in Korea and northern China. In Korea its young leaves and shoots are a well-loved wild spring vegetable. It does not grow wild in the United States.

Appearance

Growth form
A perennial about 2–5 ft (70–150 cm) tall with hollow, hairy, branching stems.
Leaves
Large compound leaves with 3–5 broad, deeply lobed and toothed leaflets, each 3–8 in (7–20 cm) long and hairy on both sides.
Flowers
Flat-topped clusters of small white flowers, built from 20–30 smaller clusters. Flowers on the outer edge have enlarged outer petals.
Flowering time
June to August in Korea.
Fruit
Flat, broadly oval, hairless fruits.

Where it lives

Typical habitats
  • Mountain slopes
  • Meadows
Range
Native to East Asia, where it is common throughout the Korean Peninsula and also grows in northern China. It is not found in the wild in the United States.

Connected species

Close relatives
  • Common cowparsnipHeracleum maximum

    North America's only native hogweed, found across most of Canada and much of the United States; it has the same tall stems, big lobed leaves, and flat white flower heads, and its sap can cause burn-like blisters on sunlit skin.

  • Giant hogweedHeracleum mantegazzianum

    A much larger, non-native hogweed with purple-spotted stems that has invaded parts of North America; its sap can cause severe skin blisters, so it is a plant to avoid touching.

Conservation

IUCN Red List
NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

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East Asian Hogweed (Heracleum moellendorffii) — identification, habitat & look-alikes | Moeyo