Wild Chervil

On PEI, it’s common to mistake any tall, white, roadside flower for Queen Anne’s Lace (aka Wild Carrot). But there are at least eight similar members of the Carrot Family (Apiaceae) that appear along the Island’s ditches at various times of year and – right now – it’s Wild Chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris, Photo 1). 

Photo 1: Wild Chervil (Anthriscus sylvestris) on a PEI roadside.

The Carrot Family is a group of plants I consider the poster child for why you should not rely on plant identification apps. It includes some familiar edible species (Carrots, Celery, Coriander, Dill, Parsley, and Parsnip, among others), but also the most toxic plants in North America (including Poison Hemlock, Water Hemlock, and Water Dropwort).

Some of this family’s edible species are reasonably easy to confuse with the toxic ones, and it often takes a close look at several parts of the plant to confirm which is which. Depending on the quality of your photo and the app you choose you might get the right answer. But the best plant ID apps have been shown to be accurate only 85% of the time, and I’m not taking those odds when it comes to eating something! 

Photo 2: Wild Chervil flower. For me, flowers are not enough to positively ID most members of the Carrot Family.

Wild Chervil has flowers that resemble other members of its family (Photo 2), and I’d never confirm identification based on this alone. I also want to see the finely divided, fern-like leaves (Photo 3) and hollow, ridged stems covered in fine hairs (especially near the base) and lacking purple streaks (Photo 4).

Photo 3: The fern-like leaf of Wild Chervil.

Wild Chervil wasn’t known from PEI when I was growing up or studying biology here; it was first confirmed on the Island in 2017. It’s native to Europe and Asia and is thought to have made its way to North America in the early 1900s via ornamental seed mixes, although it may also have been brought over as a kitchen herb.

Photo 4: Wild Chervil's stem. For me, stems are critical for identifying members within the Carrot Family. For Wild Chervil, look for short hairs, ridges, and a lack of purple streaking. They are also hollow in cross-section.

As you might guess, this plant is closely related to garden Chervil (also known as French Parsley), used as a culinary seasoning and valued for its mild parsley- and anise-like flavours. Wild Chervil leaves have a similar (but stronger) taste, but the stems are my favourite. Peel the stringy outer layer from young flowering stems and take a bite to experience the pleasant crunch and notes of parsley, celery, and anise.

Wild Chervil is pretty and edible, but also invasive and considered a priority species by the PEI Invasive Species Council. It’s a biennial that spreads prolifically by seed, with each plant able to produce thousands of seeds in its flowering year. Wild Chervil’s presence along roadsides makes it easy for passing vehicles to pick up and spread seeds to new locations, in addition to natural dispersal by wind and wildlife.

If you have Wild Chervil on your property and want to get rid of it, you can find advice on the PEI Invasive Species Council’s website or contact them directly. While it’s worthwhile trying to control newly established populations, I suspect Wild Chervil has spread to the point where it will remain part of PEI Untamed.