Pignut - Conopodium majus

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Pignut - Conopodium majus
© Dr Chris Gibson/English Nature

Pignut is an upright plant with delicate umbels of white flowers. The flowers are carried on branched heads with delicately divided leaves. The fruits are small brown pods, typical of umbellifers. Like other members of this family, the flowers are attractive to pollen-feeding insects, like hoverflies and soldier beetles. The stem is connected to a dark brown tuber, which is edible and has a peppery, nutty flavour, which has given rise to the common name.

In the past, country children would grub for pignuts but this custom seems to have died out. The plant is usually found in moist meadows, woodland edge and hedgebanks.

Animals

Cantharis pellucida, Common red soldier beetle, Flies, Wasp beetle

Foliage	Green
Flower	White, May to August
Moisture	(Average)
Sunlight	(Full sun to Part-shade)
Origin	Native