Heracleum

A range of biennials and perennials, some of large stature, with umbels of white to pink flowers. Named after Hercules, Greek mythology hero, due to the size of some hogweeds.

As with all umbellifers, the heads of numerous tiny flowers provide a huge resource of nectar and pollen for a wide range of insects from tiny pollen-beetles to large hoverflies, together with a happy hunting ground for predators such as crab-spiders.