Islanders being asked to report sightings of toxic, skin-burning wild parsnip

Thinh Nguyen · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 14, 2025 1:42 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

The Prince Edward Island Invasive Species Council is asking Islanders to support an oculus retired for chaotic parsnip and study immoderate sightings truthful it tin safely region the plant.

Wild parsnip is an invasive works often recovered on unfastened areas specified arsenic trails and roadsides. Like galore invasive species, it poses a menace to P.E.I.'s wood ecosystems, peculiarly on wood edges and successful unfastened spaces of a wooded area.

While the plant's basal is edible, its sap causes a chemic absorption connected tegument erstwhile it's exposed to the sun, resulting successful weeping blisters and burns.

"I've personally gotten a mates of burns from chaotic parsnip. It's not fun," said Clay Cutting, an invasive taxon technician with the council.

"It does warrant, often, a travel to the infirmary conscionable to beryllium sure, oregon astatine slightest a travel to your doctor. I had a consultation with an ophthalmologist and a dermatologist due to the fact that I got it connected my face."

Cutting said doctors advised him to effort utilizing a hydrocortisone pick to dainty the burns.

Chase Guindon, the council's co-ordinator, added that anyone who comes into interaction with the plant's sap should instantly determination to a shaded country and lavation the affected tegument with water.

How to place the species

Last week, radical from the assembly joined unit from the City of Charlottetown to region chaotic parsnip from a conception of the Confederation Trail down the University of Prince Edward Island. They had received a study from the province's Forests, Fish and Wildlife part that the works was increasing successful that area.

Because of the plant's toxic sap, the squad had to deterioration afloat chemic protective suits portion digging retired the plants.

Guindon said it's particularly important to region chaotic parsnip from nationalist spaces similar trails, wherever radical whitethorn unknowingly interaction it portion walking, moving oregon biking.

He said this subordinate of the carrot family can beryllium recognized by its agleam yellowish flowers and flat-topped, umbrella-shaped angiosperm heads. It besides has a grooved stem that's a bright lime green. 

Wild parsnip leaves are broad, doubly arsenic agelong arsenic they are wide with toothlike serrations connected the edges. The leaves are little down connected the plant.

"You tin spot the leaves are a compound leaf, and each small leaflet connected the compound leafage itself is astir a mitten shape. So it looks similar it benignant of has the digit country and past a small thumb coming disconnected of it arsenic well," helium said.

Guindon noted that the works resembles Queen Anne's lace, but chaotic parsnip is larger and less delicate, and has yellowish flowers alternatively of white.

Record and report

So far, Guindon said the works has not dispersed wide crossed P.E.I.; the assembly is alert of lone astir 10 locations.

But helium said chaotic parsnip has the imaginable to dispersed rapidly and out-compete autochthonal taxon that section wildlife beryllium connected for nutrient and shelter.

The assembly encourages anyone who spots the works to interaction it by email oregon done Facebook, including photos, a statement and determination information. That way, unit tin safely region it.

Islanders tin besides stock sightings of chaotic parsnip done iNaturalist, an app that allows users to stock photos and locations of plants and animals, helping researchers stitchery information for technological and conservation purposes.