This introduced European plant was originally known as Petrolselinum Alexandrinum (Parsley of Alexandria) in medieval times hence the common name Alexanders. It was introduced for its use as as a pot herb.
It is now to be found mostly near the sea all over the British Isles but also little inland as well. If you're travelling towards your seaside destination and you begin to see Alexanders by the side of the road, you can't be far away. Large umbellifers are difficult to represent with just one photograph. The whole plant needs to be seen but the individual florets are then not usually distinct enough. Photos of individual florets or umbels on the other hand can give a nice picture but don't really give the "jiz" of the plant.
As you can tell by the date, the main crop of Alexanders flowers very early but carries on flowering well into the Spring and some flowers can usually be found at most times of the year.
Roadside near Rhyl, North Wales 19th January 2005
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Added on 8th November 2004, new photo 19th January 2005