Wild Parsnip is a highly invasive toxic plant that is a spreading rapidly and causing serious problems in Prince Edward County. The Prince Edward County Master Gardeners urge you to familiarize yourself with this plant which can cause painful burns to the skin. The sap of the wild parsnip, once exposed to sunlight, causes the skin to itch, blister and burn, symptoms can last for several months. We have created a fact sheet that you can download here.
If you have a printer, please print it and pin it up somewhere all members of your family will see it and keep a close eye on your children and where they are playing.
This photo, taken by Terry Sprague on May 25 on Big Island illustrates that Wild Parsnip is still proliferating in The County. Be careful.
Here is the article by Ramesh Pooran that appeared in The Wellington Times on August 8, 2018, p.11:
Perilous Plant – Wellington Times Ramesh Pooran
Here’s an article from The Ottawa Citizen about a young child being burned by Wild Parsnip July 16, 2019:
Child burned by wild parsnip as infestation spreads
If you have any questions, please contact us.