Cymopterus globosus

What to Eat

Edible parts: Leaves, Root

The root is the primary edible part and can be eaten raw or cooked, with a pleasant taste. Roots typically have a parsnip-like quality with earthy or resinous accents; peeling and boiling or blanching gives the cleanest result. The leaves are a secondary edible, probably used cooked and likely aromatic, though they should be washed thoroughly, blanched, and sampled in small amounts first to check for any irritation. Paiute people reportedly used both roots and leaves as a seasonal food, referring to the plant as "yaditsi". Plants growing in sandier, well-drained soils tend to be easier to harvest and clean. Handling large quantities of the plant in sunlight should be approached with care due to potential furanocoumarins in the genus that may cause photosensitivity.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant.

North America, USA,

How to Identify

Compact perennial reaching 20 cm tall and wide. Hardy to UK zone 5, hermaphroditic, self-fertile, and insect-pollinated. Prefers light sandy or medium loamy, well-drained soils and tolerates nutritionally poor soil. Mildly acidic to basic pH suitable. Requires full sun. Tolerates dry or moist conditions. Typically emerges very early in its region, often in April to May.

How to Grow

Globe wavywing is a culturally attested spring root/green with a distinctive head form, best treated as a root-first plant and prepared with water-based methods to manage risk. Growing Conditions. Often sandy soils in valleys and foothills, exploiting early moisture and cool temperatures. Habitat & Range. Primarily Great Basin, with early-season growth timing shaped by colder basin winters and later spring release. Size & Landscape Performance. Low, early, and brief; a classic “spring flash” plant. Cultivation (Horticulture). Rare, but conceptually suited to lean, well-drained rock-garden conditions with winter cold and spring moisture. Pests & Problems. The main issues are grit contamination of foliage and variability in flavor/irritation potential. Identification & Habit. Small perennial, mostly basal foliage, and the notable globe-like umbel heads; confirm with fruit. Pollinators. Generalist small bees and flies commonly work Apiaceae umbels, and globe heads provide accessible forage surfaces. Globe Wavywing (Cymopterus globosus). Family: Apiaceae. Genus: Cymopterus. Common names: Globe wavywing, globe spring-parsley. USDA Hardiness Zones: approximately Zones 4–8. Approximate size: often 5–20 cm tall in flower, with a low basal spread around 10–25 cm.

Propagation: No specific information is available for this species, but sowing seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe is recommended where possible. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible in a greenhouse. Seedlings should be pricked out into individual pots once large enough to handle and grown on under cover for at least their first winter, then planted into permanent positions in late spring or early summer after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn may also be possible.

Medicinal Uses

Cymopterus globosus (Globe Springparsley) is primarily recognized for its edible roots and leaves rather than documented medicinal uses. While some Cymopterus species have traditional uses, there are no well-documented or widely recognized medical benefits specifically for Cymopterus globosus, and it is often noted to have no known medicinal applications.

Other Uses

A decoction of the roots has been used as an insecticide. The plant is also conceptually suited to lean, well-drained rock-garden conditions with winter cold and spring moisture, and its early-blooming umbels provide nectar and pollen support for insects in sandy basin habitats.

Cymopterus globosus is a species of flowering plant in the carrot family known by the common name globe springparsley. This plant is native to the sandy flats extending between eastern California and Utah in the western United States. It is a low, stemless plant with leaves parallel to or lying flat on the ground. The green-gray parsley-shaped leaves are divided into several leaflets, which are further divided into neatly pointed segments. One or more tall purple or red-brown peduncles hold an inflorescence which is a spherical umbel densely packed with white or pinkish-purple flowers. They may be held in pairs atop the peduncle, and are often heavy enough to bend the peduncle to the ground.

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