Wild parsnip, growing in a meadow. If the plant’s sap comes into contact with your skin, it can cause severe skin damage. Scroll down for ways you can share photos of this and other “plants that hurt.”
[Updated July 2018] A walk through a lovely meadow can quickly turn painful if you unwittingly brush against certain plants. Many of us learned to recognize poison ivy and poison oak by the admonition, “Leaves of three, leave it be.” But wild parsnip is another one to watch out for.
A few years ago I was growing flowers for a friend’s wedding and, scanning the roadsides for wildflowers to round out my bouquets, came across a Queen Anne’s lace lookalike with chartreuse yellow flowers. Perfect, I thought, making a mental note of the location. Imagine my surprise when the following morning’s newspaper had a photo of the flowers with a stern warning to steer clear of them. They were wild parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) and sap from their leaves and stems can cause burns worse than any poison ivy rash.
If you get wild parsnip sap on your skin then expose the skin to sunlight, you may end up with blisters that resemble second-degree burns. This plant-and-sun rash is called phytophotodermatitis (phyto=plant, photo=light) and it can result in skin damage so severe as to cause permanent scarring and discoloration.
Get some of the sap in your eyes and it can cause blindness. You won’t know right away that you’ve been exposed; symptoms usually begin about 24 hours after exposure and peak in two or three days. Trips to the emergency room aren’t uncommon. And the rash can reappear years later, even without further exposure. This is serious stuff.
Eliminating the Plants
If you come across any of these plants in the wild, stay away. If you find them in your garden, you’ll want to eradicate them. Start by donning protective clothing. Then, dig up the plants, getting as much root as possible — ideally, early in the season before the plants go to flower and set seeds. Be vigilant and check the area frequently. If you see seedlings or plants that have re-sprouted, cut them off at or below ground level — again wearing protective clothing at all times. You can also spot treat the plants with an herbicide, such as BurnOut® Weed & Grass Killer (active ingredients citric acid and clove oil; safe for organic growing).
Whatever you do, DO NOT USE A STRING TRIMMER! This will send sap-oozing bits of plant flying — some undoubtedly landing on bare skin.
Queen Anne’s lace, left, is often confused with wild parsnip, right.
I still shudder to think of what would have happened if I had used those flowers in the bouquets at my friend’s sunny outdoor wedding. I’m just thankful I saw that newspaper article warning of the dangers of the plant. In the spirit of paying it forward, here’s your warning!
Share Your Photos
Help us create a photo album of “plants that hurt” to warn gardeners about plants to avoid. Share photos via Instagram — tag us with @gardeners and #lovegardeners — with the name of the plant and where you took the photo. Include images of poison ivy and other familiar culprits, too, because their appearance varies depending on the time of year and climate.
More Information
- If you have been exposed to wild parsnip sap, wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water and keep it out of direct sunlight for at least 48 hours. If you see a rash or feel a burning sensation, seek medical care. Wash clothing exposed to sap in a separate laundry load. More wild parsnip information and photos.
- The sap from the garden-variety, cultivated parsnip can also cause the same phytophotodermatitis skin rash. Though it’s not usually as severe, wear protective clothing and use care when harvesting your crop.
- The smaller, woodier roots of wild parsnip are also edible but the toxicity of the sap should discourage all but the most knowledgeable and cautious from considering harvesting them for eating.
- Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota) is also known as wild carrot. It’s native to Europe and southwest Asia, but has naturalized in the U.S. and is a common site along roadsides. The relatively small, woody roots are edible. Note, however, that the plant resembles toxic plants, notably poison hemlock, so all but the most knowledgeable should stick with garden-variety carrots.
- Other noxious plants to be aware of: giant hogweed, cow parsnip, and poison ivy. Sap from the garden perennial Dictamnus albus (gas plant) can also cause a burning rash on some people.
—Suzanne DeJohn, Gardener’s Supply
But does it have a parsnip under the soil worth eating?
Yes, the long, thick taproot is edible. More about wild parsnip here: http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/parsnip.htm
I haven’t documented it but I’m pretty sure I’ve touched that in the past and not gotten any rashes. Do Queen Anne’s Lace flower start off yellow before turning white?
I’ve heard that some people are immune to poison ivy/oak. Is that also possible with wild parsnip? (Note: I am NOT one of those who are immune to poison ivy/oak.)
I’ve heard Queen Anne’s Lace called wild carrot. Is this true?
The rash comes from the sap in the plant, so lightly brushing the leaves is not likely to cause problems.
Yes, Queen Anne’s lace is sometimes called wild carrot. To be clear, the botanical name of the plant we’re referring to is Daucus carota. More information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daucus_carota
Is wild parsnip (I’ve heard it called “Poison Parsnip” usually lately) new to the area or is it native? I grew up in the area and learned about poison ivy/oak but only last year first heard or noticed poison parsnip – now it seems to be everywhere! Is it just a matter of noticing something and then you see it everywhere or is this new to the area? And, is it pushing out the Queen Anne’s Lace plants?
The plant comes from Europe and Asia, and it has indeed been spreading more rapidly in recent years. It’s not a new arrival though; the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has found records of this plant in the state from as early as 1894: http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/ce/eek/veg/plants/wildparsnip.htm
My son was exposed to this plant when he was helping clear some brush. It was a hot, sunny day, and the combination of his sweat and the sunlight caused a reaction to the toxins in the plant. The following year, when he was out in the sun, the rash reappeared without any new exposure to the plant. He has scars which persist 3 years later. This plant, like Queen Anne’s Lace and Parsley, is a biennial. However, its seeds can live for several years. Unless you are very vigilant, it’s a difficult plant to get rid of.
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WARNING: this plant is also called HOGWEED and there is currently a government grant being implemented to eradicate it in New York State – contact your local DEC office if you locate plants in your area!!
hogweed and wild parsnip are two different plants. Hog weed definitely burns the skin but I’ve never heard of parsnip doing the same. Are we getting the two confused?
The NY State Dept. of Transportation has a web page called “Dangerous Plants” with photos and descriptions of giant hogweed, cow parsnip and wild parsnip:
https://www.nysdot.gov/dangerous-plants
It almost looks like golden rod.
Here in Western New York, all of the publicity I’ve seen has called it “giant hogweed” and it’s definitely the same plant. Around here, they can also appear with white or whitish flowers, so that they look a lot like a gigantic Queen Anne’s Lace. I had the misfortune to pull one of them out of my flower bed a few years ago. I was wearing gloves but I still got a severe rash on my arms with burn-like blisters. Very nasty!
The root of wild parsnip is very edible. Do not attempt to harvest it until a few killing frosts tenderize the root. The stem is still dangerous for most people to touch, harvest carefully. It should be noted that the stem and leaves from domestic parsnip can also burn some people. Steam or parboil roots until tender and saute in butter until nicely browned.