wild parsnip

(Pastinaca sativa)

Conservation Status
wild parsnip
 
  IUCN Red List

not listed

     
  NatureServe

NNA - No Status Rank

SNA - No Status Rank

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Weed Status
   
 

Prohibited Noxious Weed, Prohibited – Control

Wild parsnip is listed as an invasive terrestrial plant by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Wild parsnip is a 24 to 60 tall, erect, biennial forb that rises on a single stem from a long, thick, cone-shaped, fleshy taproot.

In the first year there is a rosette of basal leaves and no central stem.

Basal leaves are 2 to 20 long and up to 10 wide. They are pinnately divided into 5 to 15 leaflets, 2 to 7 opposite pairs and a single terminal leaflet. The leaflets are oblong to egg-shaped, 2 to 4 long, and irregularly lobed. The upper surface is hairless. The lower surface may be hairless or hairy. The margins have 8 or more coarse, sharp, forward-pointing teeth on each side.

In the second year there is a single stem and usually also a few basal leaves. The stem is erect, relatively stout, hollow, strongly ridged (deeply grooved), occasionally branched, light green, and hairless or sparsely hairy.

Stem leaves are alternate and similar to basal leaves. Lower stem leaves are 2 to 18 long on leaf stalks up to 1½ long, becoming much smaller on shorter leaf stalks as they ascend the stem. The uppermost leaves are stalkless.

The inflorescences are flat-topped, 2 to 6 wide, umbrella-shaped clusters (umbels) at the ends of the stems and rising from the upper leaf axils. Each umbel has 15 to 25 smaller, umbrella-shaped flower clusters (umbellets) on ¾ to 4 long stalks. Each umbellet has 8 to 35 individual flowers on 1 16 to long stalks.

The individual flowers are about across. They have no sepals, 5 yellow petals, and a greenish-yellow nectar pad.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

24 to 60

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Yellow

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Dry or moist. Disturbed areas, fields, roadsides, railroads. Full sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

June to July

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 

Toxicity

 
 

Contact with any part of this plant can cause phytophotodermatitis, producing redness and blistering when exposed to sunlight.

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 22, 28, 29, 30.

 
  3/19/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native to Europe and western Asia; introduced and naturalized in North America.

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

Wild parsnip is found throughout Minnesota. It is especially abundant in the southeastern portion of the state. That abundance is slowly creeping northward.

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Magnoliopsida (flowering plants)  
  Superorder Asteranae  
 

Order

Apiales (carrots, ivies, and allies)  
  Suborder Apiineae  
 

Family

Apiaceae (carrot)  
  Subfamily Apioideae  
  Tribe Tordylieae  
  Subtribe Tordyliinae  
 

Genus

Pastinaca (parsnip)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Several subspecies and varieties have been described but these are not widely recognized.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Anethum pastinaca

Elaphoboscum sativum

Peucedanum pastinaca

Peucedanum sativum

Selinum pastinaca

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

bird’s-nest

hart’s-eye

madnip

parsnip

wild parsnip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Axil

The upper angle where the leaf stalk meets the stem.

 

Pinnate

On a compound leaf, having the leaflets arranged on opposite sides of a common stalk. On a bryophyte, having branches evenly arranged on opposite sides of a stem.

 

Umbel

A flat-topped or convex, umbrella-shaped cluster of flowers or buds arising from more or less a single point.

 

Umbellet

A secondary umbel in a compound umbel.

 
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Plant

 
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Inflorescence

 
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Umbellet

 
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Leaves

 
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Stem

 
    wild parsnip   wild parsnip  
           
 

Infructescence

 
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Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
  Pastinaca sativa (Wild Parsnip)
Allen Chartier
 
  Pastinaca sativa (Wild Parsnip)  

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

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Other Videos
 
  Wild Parsnip, identification of the Wisconsin Invasive Species Pastinaca sativa
uwcoopextension
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jul 26, 2011

This is part of a series of videos providing key characteristics for the identification of invasive plants listed in Wisconsin's invasive species administrative rule NR 40. These videos are produced by Dr. Mark Renz of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. For more information on invasive plants and invasive plant management in Wisconsin visit http://fyi.uwex.edu/weedsci

   
  Wild Parsnip and Wild Carrot VS Poison Hemlock
ironDsteele
 
   
 
About

Published on Jul 28, 2013

Part 3 in an ongoing series of documentaries on wild edible, medicinal, and toxic plants. I'm covering "Wild Parsnip" and "Wild Carrot" with a focus on how to tell it apart from it's deadly poisonous relative "Poison Hemlock". All video footage is recorded by me on the GoPRO Hero 2. Some of the pictures taken from reputable sources on the internet.

Click 4:21 to skip to Wild Carrot.

   
  Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) - 2012-08-04
W3stlander
 
   
 
About

Published on Aug 7, 2012

Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable related to the carrot in the family Apiaceae.

-------------

Pastinaak (Pastinaca sativa subsp. sativa), pinksternakel of witte wortel is een plant uit de schermbloemenfamilie (Apiaceae).

Edit 2013-01-07: This is NOT: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)

   
  Dangers of Wild Parsnip
WKBT TV
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Jul 16, 2010

If you drive along county roads and open pastures in the Coulee Region, you may have noticed a yellow wildflower.

   
  Wild parsnip
William Myers MantisOutdoors
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 23, 2014

I was in the middle of showing some students wild parsnip I thought it was a good opportunity to give you all some good info on this plant so we turned on the camera on and shot a quick vid to help dispel some of the misconceptions about this plant WILD PARSNIP

www.mantisoutdoorsllc.com

mantisoutdoors@gmail.com

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
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  Sue Rainbow
6/25/2015

Location: Rice Creek Parkway neighborhood walking paths

seen in several places along the path by the ponds and bridges

 
           
 
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