Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is not to be confused with the pale root vegetable Mom forced you to eat when you were small. Although the two plants are both a part of the Apiaceae (or Umbelliferae) family – including carrot, celery, parsley and dill – you wouldn’t want to cook with wild parsnip. Much like its larger cousin Giant Hogweed the sap of the plant contains chemicals that cause a phytophototoxic reaction in skin when exposed to U.V. light, resulting in nasty blisters that are painful and itchy and may leave scars that last for months. In addition, affected skin can remain highly sensitive to sunlight for years after contact.
Unlike the relatively rare Giant Hogweed, wild parsnip is ubiquitous, found in ditches and other marginal and disturbed areas across the country. A perennial that reproduces by seed, wild parsnip is native to Europe and Asia and was likely introduced to North America in the late 1800’s. In recent years it has spread rapidly across the country. The plant, which resembles Queen Anne’s Lace, is relatively simple to identify by its yellow flowers and height – it can grow up to six feet tall. It spends several years as a rosette of leaves; then bolts, flowers, and dies. Herbicides containing glyphosate, such as Round-Up, are a safe and effective means of control, especially when applied during the rosette stage in early spring or late fall. Keep an eye out for this deceptively attractive plant in your yard, and make sure children are warned to stay away, or else…
