Species guide
Wild parsnip
Skin irritantPastinaca sativa
What does Wild parsnip look like?
A tall plant (to ~1.5 m) with a grooved stem, flat-topped umbels of small yellow flowers, and jagged compound leaves. It smells of parsnip.
Is Wild parsnip dangerous?
Its sap is phototoxic: skin that contacts it and is then exposed to sunlight develops burning blisters and long-lasting brown marks — like a milder giant hogweed.
Commonly confused with
- Giant hogweed — far bigger, with white flowers and purple-blotched stems
What should I do about Wild parsnip?
Don't touch it bare-handed. If sap gets on your skin, wash it off and keep the area out of sunlight; wear gloves and long sleeves to remove it.
Never decide what's safe to eat or touch from a photo or a web page. Identification here is for learning and curiosity only. For anything you might eat, handle or that could harm you or a pet, consult a qualified local expert — and seek medical or veterinary care if exposure has happened.
Recorded 295,059 times in the wild worldwide.
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