Did you know that there is a poisonous plant found in every Iowa county, inhabiting overgrown areas along roadways and in fields and beside trails, that can cause your skin to break out in painful blisters if you so much as touch it? No, we’re not talking about poison ivy – we’re talking about Wild Parsnip, Pastinaca sativa.

The oils in the sap of the leaves and stems of the Wild Parsnip contain Furanocoumarin, a cytotoxic chemical that makes the skin extra sensitive to ultraviolet light from the sun.
Charlie Day / Flickr
It might seem that all is well for a day, but around 24 hours after getting exposed to the sap and sunlight, symptoms may develop, including a local burning sensation, red rash, and sometimes even severe blistering similar to a second degree burn.
Dragan Marjanovic / Wikipedia
After about three days, most people experience their symptoms starting to get better - but not always, as sensitivity to sunlight can remain for up to 2 years in certain spots! Yet some people don't react to Wild Parsnip at all.
Have you ever had a reaction caused by an encounter with Wild Parsnip? Maybe you have experienced some or all of these symptoms and are just now learning what caused it!
Will Brown / Flickr
Different people react to different degrees, but you don’t want to roll the dice on this one - severe reactions can require hospitalization.

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The next question is how on earth do you avoid this noxious weed? Well, it helps to know what it looks like.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore / Flickr
Wild Parsnip typically matures at 4 to 6 feet tall. The flower is umbel shaped and looks kind of like a yellow Queen Anne’s Lace. 
Johann Georg Sturm / Wikipedia
If you have to walk or work in an area where you might touch this plant, wear long sleeves and gloves to avoid contact with your skin as well as provide shade from the sun.
Joshua Mayer / Flickr
If you think you may have gotten sap on your skin, you can try washing your skin with strong soap and avoid sunlight exposure. 

Naturally you might also be wondering how to get rid of the stuff if it shows up nearby. By all means, do not weed-eat or string trim it because of the sap that could then splatter everywhere! If you can mow it in a way that avoids contact, that can be an effective way to manage this plant. If you are interested in spraying herbicide, talk with your Iowa State Extension agent or ask at your local farm co-op. Unfortunately, this invasive plant has been in Iowa for a hundred years, and there’s almost no way it’s going to disappear soon. Need some good news after all that talk of poison plants? How about some pictures of 4,000 lavender plants?

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