Heracleum sphondylium

Also known as Cow Parsnip, Hogweed, Eltrot

Common hogweed thrives along sunlit roadsides, field edges, and moist meadows, sending up robust hollow stems topped with broad flat umbels of tiny white flowers. Its nectar-rich flower heads act as vital feeding stations for hundreds of species of flies, beetles, bees, and wasps throughout summer. While ecologically beneficial, the plant produces sap that reacts with sunlight to inflame human skin.