Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.

Habitat: Roadsides, fields, ditches, meadows, lawns, and other disturbed open areas.

Flowers: June-September

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Biennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies, beetles, wasps

Coarse, leafy-stemmed biennial from a well-developed, bitter taproot, the single stem 2-12 dm. tall.

Leaves 3-pinnately dissected, the blades 5-15 cm. long and 2-7 cm. wide, the ultimate segments linear to lanceolate, 2-12 mm. long and 0.5-2 mm. wide, those of the upper leaves more elongate.

Compound umbels several or solitary, the peduncles 2.5-6 cm. long; involucre bracts pinnatifid into firm, elongate, filiform segments; bractlets of the involucel linear and entire, often exceeding the flowers; inflorescence showy, 4-12 cm. wide, narrower in fruit than in flower, the numerous rays unequal; ultimate umbellets with 20 or more flowers; flowers white or yellowish, rarely pink, the central flower in the umbel purple.

Fruit ovoid, 3-4 mm. long and 2 mm. wide, broadest in the middle, with prickles and bristles on the ribs.