Wild Chervil

Wild Chervil
(Anthriscus sylvestris)
Priority: - Contain
Tags: Agricultural
Identification and Reproduction
Identification
- Biennial, short-lived perennial that is in the carrot/parsley family.
- Grows upright and can almost reach two metres tall
- Wild chervil has white flowers in umbrella-like clusters, with bract-like leaves under flowers. Clusters are found at the top of stem. Blooms occur from April to May.
- Leaves are triangular, finely divided, resembling ferns, softly hairy.
- Stems are ribbed, green, and has distinct hairs on lower portion
- Tuberous roots can extend almost two metres into soil.
Reproduction:
- Spreads rapidly through seed and vegetative fragments such as root buds.
- Seeds are easily dispersed by wind, animals and people.
- Its deep taproot makes it difficult to remove.
Look-alikes
Wild chervil has many look-alikes! We have a guide that helps you differentiate this plant from other look-alike invaive and native plants - See the guide here
Habitat & Ecology
- Wild chervil prefers moist, rich soils that are moderately disturbed.
- It is only found in open habitats.
- It is commonly found along ditches, roadsides, fences, streambanks and moist woodlands.
- Wild chervil is deemed regionally noxious in BC.
Impacts
Social:
- Will crowd out forage plants.
- Can spread disease to crop species in the same family like carrot, parsnips, and celery.
Ecological:
- Displace native plants and reduce biodiversity.
- Can reduce wildlife habitat.
- It uptakes nutrients and water resources aggressively, out-competing natives vegetation.
Management
- Chemical control may not be an option as wild chervil is often found in wet sites near waterbodies. Chemical applications also may not be effective on the deep taproot.
- Be cautious when purchasing wildflower seed mixes, especially if they are not locally produced. These can contain seeds of wild chervil and other invasive species.
Mechanical/Manual Control:
- Can be mechanically controlled if taproot can be entirely removed, this can be done through hand-pulling or digging.
- Mowing can be effective prior to seed set.
- Bag and seal any removed parts for landfill.
Resources
For further details on Wild Chervil control please refer to the Metro Vancouver Best Management Practices for Wild Chervil (pg. 12-23)
Download the Metro Vancouver Factsheet on Wild Chervil here.
King County is also a good resource for historic and identification information, as well as a management guide.
The Government of Ontario is another good resource for explaining the history, identification, impacts, and spread of wild chervil.
Download A Guide to Weeds in British Columbia for Wild Chervil here.
Another resource to help compare wild chervil to simliar species is provided by E-flora BC.
View header photo here.