Question: This member of Apiaceae grows in a garden in Harrisville, NH. It's about 3' high, the stalk is green (no …
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Question
This member of Apiaceae grows in a garden in Harrisville, NH. It's about 3' high, the stalk is green (no purple mottling), round and slightly ridged. It has a large compound leaf (alternate branching) and an umbel of 5-petaled very small flowers at the top.
Answer
Dear DavidBlair, aside from the leaf arrangement you mention, this plant looks like Valeriana officinalis (common valerian). The inflorescence branching is not an umbel, but rather a cyme (which also fits for Valeriana). You should smell a rank odor with the open flowers or with the roots. Best wishes.
