Cutleaf water parsnip
Berula erecta · Aquatic plants
Up close · Photo: Paweł Sadkowski / CC0
Also called Water parsnip, Lesser water parsnip, Berula
How to identify Cutleaf water parsnip
- Leaves divided into toothed or lobed leaflets
- Small white umbrella shaped flower clusters
- Stems sprawl and root in water
- Leafy bracts below flower clusters
Similar plants
Water parsnip is taller with narrower leaflets; watercress has rounded leaflets and 4 petal flowers.
Growth profile
| Growing season | Grows nearly year round in springs, flowers July to September. |
|---|---|
| Starts growing | About 45 F water |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Depth | Saturated soil to about 1 foot of water |
| How it spreads | Rooting stems and seeds |
| Habitat | Springs, spring fed ponds, ditches and slow streams. |
Why it matters in a lake
Common in cold spring water; may be toxic to livestock.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Apiales |
| Family | Apiaceae |
| Scientific name | Berula erecta |
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