Marsh Parsley

Cyclospermum leptophyllum

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in freshwater marshes, bottomland forests, disturbed areas, roadside ditches. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Louisiana. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 6 inches–2 feet
Spread: 6 inches–2 feet
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Moist to standing water

See native alternatives

Cyclospermum leptophyllum — bloom photograph — (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original photograph

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Your parish

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Slender False Foxglove
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Sun: Full sun. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Pink or purple.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Downy Phlox
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Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Pink, purple or white.
Similar growth form, height, spread
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Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow.
Similar growth form, height, spread

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At a glance

Life cycle: Annual
Bloom: April and June
Fruiting season: June to July

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Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 60 Louisiana parishes.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

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Freshwater marshes

Open, herb-covered wetlands with fresh, non-tidal water.

Floodplain and bottomland forests

Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

24CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · Apium

Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Anagrapha falciferaCelery Looper Moth
Argyrotaenia ivanaIvana Leafroller Moth
Choristoneura obsoletanaObsolete Leafroller
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Chrysodeixis includensSoybean Looper Moth
Condica sutorThe Cobbler, Cobbler Groundling
Feltia herilisMaster's Dart
Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
Feltia repletaReplete Dart

Show all 24

Helicoverpa zeaCorn Earworm Moth
Nomophila nearcticaLucerne Moth, American Celery Webworm
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Papilio polyxenesBlack Swallowtail, Celery Caterpillar, Fennel Worm, Desert Black Swallowtail, Parsnip Swallowtail
Platynota rostranaOmnivorous Platynota
Platynota stultanaOmnivorous Leafroller
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
Spoladea recurvalisHawaiian Beet Webworm
Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
Udea rubigalisCelery Leaftier
Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Apiaceae
Flower color: Pink or white
Fruit begins: June
Fruit ends: July

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to early June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Pink or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Fruit begins · “June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “July” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Height · “6 inches–2 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs)
Life cycle · “Annual” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Frequent standing water; Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “6 inches–2 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Apium leptophyllum; Ciclospermum leptophyllum; celery

Conservation status

Louisiana rank	SNA
Global rank	G5
LA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources