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Sium suave
Also called Water parsnip, Hemlock water-parsnip, Water Parsley, Fragrant Water Parsnip, Common Water Parsnip
Sium suave, the water parsnip or hemlock waterparsnip, is a perennial wildflower in the family Apiaceae. It is native to many areas of both Asia and North America. The common name water parsnip is due to its similarity to parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) and its wetland habitat. The alternate common name hemlock waterparsnip is due to its similarity to the highly poisonous spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata).
Water parsnip should be grown in wet mucky soil / sand or in standing water up to an inch and a half deep. It also prefers partial to full sun. The seeds should be sown in late winter to early spring during a cold frame. Sium suave is in flower from July to August while the seeds ripen from September to October. It has been shown to accumulate arsenic and heavy metals near abandoned mine tailings in South Korea. In the presence of added N03-N to the ground, water parsnip shows increased production.
Sium suave grows in wetland habitats (sandy and non-sandy). These wetland habits include wet prairies, bottoms of seeps, low areas along springs, soggy thickets, swamps, borders and shallow water of ponds, marshes, and ditches. It is native to both North America and Asia in Canada, the United States, Japan, Russian Federation, South Korea, and China.
Extreme caution should be practiced when using this plant for food because it resembles the very poisonous Cicuta maculata (Spotted Water Hemlock). Edible parts of Sium suave include the root in the spring and fall, either raw or cooked; it has a nutty flavor. The leaves are also sometimes used for condiments such as relish. Crushed water parsnip roots have also been used as an analgesic (pain reliever) in cases of broken limbs.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Sium suave by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
