• Photo of Thaspium trifoliatum (Thaspium trifoliatums)

Plant Profile: Thaspium trifoliatum

Taxonomy: Thaspium trifoliatum

Names

Hairy-Jointed Meadow Parsnip

  • Photo of Thaspium trifoliatum (Thaspium trifoliatums)

Phonetic Spelling:

Genus:Thaspium

Species:trifoliatum

Family:Apiaceae

Purple Meadow Parsnip is a perennial herb that originates from eastern North America. This plant typically thrives in environments such as stream banks, woodlands, and rocky inclines. For optimal growth, it should be positioned in areas that receive full sun to partial shade, and it prefers well-drained, average-quality soil. While it can be a valuable addition to native or wildlife gardens, finding it at a nursery may prove challenging.

In terms of pests and diseases, this plant generally does not face significant issues.

Thaspium trifoliatum Feature Summary

Thaspium trifoliatum Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#wildlife plant
#low maintenance
#stream banks
#thickets
#naturalizes
#larval host plant
#butterfly friendly
#pollinator garden
#woodlands
#black swallowtail butterfly

Similar Plants

Thaspium trifoliatum Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern North America
This plant supports Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) larvae which appear between April and October and have one to two flights in the north or three flights in the south. Adult Black Swallowtail butterflies feed on flower nectar from thistles, milkweed and red clover.
Perennial
Fruit
Winged fruits mid to late summer
Flowers
Small yellow flowers in compound umbles.
Gold/Yellow
Spring
Summer
< 1 inch
Leaves
Basal leaves are heart-shaped and stem leaves are divided trifolate toothed and ovate 2" long.
Simple
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Alternate
Rosulate
Ovate
Cordate
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
Clay
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Woodland
Naturalized Area
Butterflies
Pollinators

Thaspium trifoliatum Attributes

Thaspium trifoliatum: Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern North America

Thaspium trifoliatum: Wildlife Value

This plant supports Black Swallowtail (Papilio polyxenes) larvae which appear between April and October and have one to two flights in the north or three flights in the south. Adult Black Swallowtail butterflies feed on flower nectar from thistles, milkweed and red clover.

Thaspium trifoliatum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Thaspium trifoliatum Fruit

Thaspium trifoliatum: Fruit Description

Winged fruits mid to late summer

Thaspium trifoliatum: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Thaspium trifoliatum Flowers

Thaspium trifoliatum: Flower Description

Small yellow flowers in compound umbles.

Thaspium trifoliatum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow

Thaspium trifoliatum: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Thaspium trifoliatum: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Thaspium trifoliatum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Thaspium trifoliatum: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Thaspium trifoliatum Leaves

Thaspium trifoliatum: Leaf Description

Basal leaves are heart-shaped and stem leaves are divided trifolate toothed and ovate 2" long.

Thaspium trifoliatum: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Thaspium trifoliatum: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Thaspium trifoliatum: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Thaspium trifoliatum: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Thaspium trifoliatum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Thaspium trifoliatum: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Thaspium trifoliatum Stem

Thaspium trifoliatum: Stem Description

Ridged stems

Thaspium trifoliatum: Stem Color

grass
Green

Thaspium trifoliatum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Thaspium trifoliatum Whole Plant Traits

Thaspium trifoliatum: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Thaspium trifoliatum: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Thaspium trifoliatum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Thaspium trifoliatum Cultural Conditions

Thaspium trifoliatum: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Thaspium trifoliatum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Thaspium trifoliatum: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Thaspium trifoliatum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Thaspium trifoliatum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Thaspium trifoliatum Landscape

Thaspium trifoliatum: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Thaspium trifoliatum: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Thaspium trifoliatum: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees