Chrome yellow, and very attractive.
Unwittingly I have aped in a very minor way Cleve West at Chelsea. I missed some parsnips and have let them go on to flower. As many other umbellifers (
Apiaceae), they attract hoverflies. Hoverflies are invaluable predators of aphids in the garden. They lay their eggs in them and the larvae then eat up. I was pleased to get these close ups as the 120cm stems were more than swaying in today's winds. Ladybirds seem to like to be on the flowerheads, be they in flower or set seed.
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I let one flower last year as well and was so pleased with how it looked that I left it until the seed ripened. I now have overwintered baby parsnips all over the veg garden... I also saved some of the seed in the fridge, and it has germinated beautifully. Such a handsome plant though!
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