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Annual Biennial

Aethusa cynapium

fool's parsley

An annual, or wintergreen biennial wildflower found in much of the British Isles and growing to around 80cm. Slender, branched, ribbed stems carry dark green, finely divided foliage and are topped with delicate umbels of small, white flowers in mid- to late summer

Other common names

ass's parsley
dog parsley
see moredog poison
dog's parsley
false parsley
folly
fool's cicely
lesser hemlock
small hemlock
geuberllys

Synonyms

Aethusa cynapium var. pygmaea

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

1–2 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Apiaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy, Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: TOXIC if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. TOXIC to pets if eaten - see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants for useful contact numbers
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Tolerant of a wide range of conditions - naturally found in gardens, other cultivated ground, wasteland, roadsides and railway embankments

Propagation

Self-seeds prolifically

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildlife gardens

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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