Watch Out for Wild Parsnip

by Jim Carrabba (published 5/1/2006 in Country Folks Safety Savvy)

Wild parsnip is a particularly noxious weed that can be hazardous to people that work around it. The hazard of wild parsnip is from getting the juice from the plant onto your skin. If the juice is splashed onto your skin and then exposed to sunlight, it can cause a painful and irritating phyto-photo-dermatitis reaction. Phyto-photo-dermatitis is a severe sunburn that occurs on the skin. There are chemicals in the juice of wild parsnip that cause this reaction when the skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. When absorbed by the skin, the plant juices can cause mild to severe phyto-photo-dermatitis reactions. Reactions may take a day or two before they appear. In a mild case, the skin will redden and feel sunburned. In severe cases, the skin will first redden, blisters will rise, and for a while, the area will feel like it has been scalded. The blisters will appear a day or two after exposure. The affected area will be dark red or brownish in color. This can be present in the skin for months up to as long as two years. The burns will often appear as streaks or long spots. The first couple of days will cause a burning sensation at the affected area. Later, the affected area will feel very itchy. These reactions are often misdiagnosed as being caused by poison ivy.

The best way to protect yourself from wild parsnip is to avoid exposure to the plant. Wild parsnip is a member of the umbellifer or carrot family. Other plants in this family that cause similar reactions include giant hogweed and cow parsnip. This plant is a biennial. During the first year it appears as a rosette that grows close to the ground. In the second year of growth, it will have a single flower stalk that holds a cluster of flat-topped yellow flowers. The flower will be similar to Queen Ann’s Lace in shape. Wild parsnip can grow to heights of five feet. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Allegany/Cattaraugus Counties has some good fact sheets and photos of wild parsnip on their website at http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/allegany_cattaraugus/hort/PestAlert.htm. The juice is most hazardous when the plant is in its flowering stage. It only grows in sunny areas so it can be frequently seen growing along roadways and vacant fields. Many people have been burned by wild parsnip while cutting it with weed wackers or string trimmers. Anytime you cut or chop this plant, you risk spraying the juice onto your skin and causing burns. When working near this plant, always wear long sleeve shirts, pants, gloves, and eye protection.

There are several options for controlling this plant. Cutting the root below ground level with a spade or shovel can stop it. Regular mowing or grazing by cows will keep it from growing and seeding. In certain soil types under wet conditions, you can pull the plants out by hand. Wild parsnip can be controlled with an over-the-counter herbicide. If your clothes or skin get plant juice on them, immediately wash it off. Try to keep juice-splashed skin out of sunlight. Wash your clothes as soon as possible. If you suffer a parsnip burn, cover the burned area with a cool wet cloth. Try to keep blisters from rupturing as long as possible. Keep the area clean and apply an antibiotic cream. For serious cases, seek medical treatment.

If you would like to learn more about safety around wild parsnip, or any other agricultural safety topic, please contact us and we would be happy to help you. NYCAMH is offering free on-farm safety surveys and worker safety trainings to farms, greenhouses, and nursery operations throughout the state of New York. If you would like to schedule a farm safety survey or safety training session, please contact me at 800-343-7527, ext 239 or e-mail me at jcarrabba@nycamh.com. NYCAMH, a program of Bassett Healthcare, is enhancing agricultural and rural health by preventing and treating occupational injury and illness.