A Weed to Avoid

I sure don’t want to scare anyone from going into the great outdoors but there is a plant out there that many folks will say, "I’ve never heard of that."

It’s Poison Parsnip. Yes, another plant that can make you pretty uncomfortable for a week or so. Most know about Poison Ivy, Oak, and Sumac and have seen someone with an itchy rash caused by one of them. Few know about a similar plant that is getting more and more common in Wisconsin and the Midwest.

Poison Parsnip is in about every ditch line on any back road right now. It’s easily recognizable by the yellow flowers on the top of it which are similar to Queen Anne’s Lace. While Queen Anne’s Lace is white, Parsnips are yellow. They are a little different than the other poison plants in that the poison is a photo sensitizer. The oils need light to make them irritable. If you get it on you in daylight, that’s enough. The rash is often mistaken for Poison Ivy.

Right now Poison Parsnip is easy to see because of its flowers. Soon those will be gone and it will look just like any other weed. Be careful of it though, it’s a nasty little pest and can cause some sleepless nights if you happen to get into it.

Dan Bomkamp - author and host of the radio show "How's Fishing"