Probably not a name you’re familiar with, but you will have seen lots of these in June hedgerows as you drive down country roads. They are a large family of plants, many suitable for your garden.
Umbellifers are flowering plants in the Apiaceae or celery, carrot & parsley family. Their name comes from the Latin, umbella, meaning shade and you can see why with their disc-shaped flowers, or umbels, which are made up of many tiny flowers held on short flower stalks.
These umbels are usually held on tall stems, giving the impression that the flowers are floating above the mass of other foliage beneath. Hence they give a border an airy and relaxed feel. They are also a very important source for pollinators, particularly hoverflies & flies, as they have open airy flower heads which make the nectar easy to access. Hoverflies are very useful to gardeners as they will lay a single egg near aphid colonies. Their larvae eat the aphids.
The most common Umbellifer is Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestnis) so often seen on roadside verges.
A native UK wildflower it has many names and myths. ‘Queen Anne’s lace’ harks back to a folk tale that the flowers would bloom for Queen Anne and her ladies in waiting and reflects the delicate lace they wore.
A biennial (has a 2 year life cycle, flowering in the second year), Cow Parsley will produce large amounts of seed which are easily spread by wind when dry. Hence it can be troublesome and invasive in gardens. Another vernacular name,’ Mother die’ or ‘Mummy die’, was used to frighten children into thinking that if they picked Cow Parsley, their mother would die. This was intended to deter children from potentially picking a similar looking plant Hemlock (Conium maculatum).
A poisonous plant, Hemlock has a repellent smell when its leaves are crushed, helping to ensure that accidental poisonings don’t occur very often – even livestock avoid it.
But there are many Umbellifers that are suitable for gardens.
Orlaya grandiflora or ‘White Laceflower’ is native to the Mediterranean, where it thrives in vineyards and olive groves. It has clusters of delicate pure white flowers and fern-like foliage. A favourite of mine, I grow it every year.
Sow seeds in autumn, overwinter young plants and planting them out in spring for June flowers. Alternatively sow in spring for plants that will flower into autumn.
Ammi majus (Bishop’s Flower) is another favourite of mine.
It’s taller (1m) and flowers later than Orlya grandiflora making it a great filler plant for the middle of borders where its Cow Parsley like flower heads suddenly pop-up through Salvias and Geraniums. Treat like Orlaya and sow seeds in autumn and overwinter plants for planting out in spring.
Similar is Ammi visnaga (Bishop’s weed). Slightly taller (1.2m) with tightly packed, large flowers that start limey green and gradually open to greenish white. The heads become more domed as the flowers open.
Daucus carota (wild carrot) is the wild form of the cultivated carrot, with a mix of crimson and white flowers from midsummer to autumn. After flowering, the flowerhead folds inward to develop a concave seedhead, resembling a birds’ nest.
Angelica. There are many species and cultivars. A flavouring in many liquors, including gin and vermouth, Angelica has a long history of use as a seasoning, medicinal and tea. It makes a strong architectural statement at the back of a border alongside tall ornamental grasses.
Angelica gigas (Korean angelica) from the mountains of Korea and Japan, has striking large, dark purple florets from June to early September on tall (1.8m) stems.
Astrantia major is untypical of the Umbelliferae family. The true flowers are tiny but are crowded together in a ‘pin cushion’ type head, surrounded by bracts (modified leaves) giving the appearance of a star like flower (hence Astrantia).
Unlike the many other Umbellifers, they are perennial, dying down in winter and re-emerging in spring. Quite short at <1m, they prefer moist soils, full sun or partial shade and are great at the front of a border. Many different cultivars are available with flowers from white, through pink to lilac.
Another perennial is Selinum wallichianum (Wallich milk parsley), is a native of the Himalayas growing on open sunny slopes. Bearing clumps of white flowers from July onwards, they transform into beautiful seedheads. Its been given an Award of Garden Merit by the RHS.
So why not give Umbellifers a try in your garden? There are many others to choose from and they will give a wonderful relaxed and airy feel to your garden with their frothy blooms and are highly attractive to pollinators.