![]() The plant seeds prolifically, producing an average of 975 seeds per plant in its second year of growth.The plant reproduces mainly by seed, but some sources suggest that vegetative growth is also possible by rhizomes.Where it invades, it tends to produce dense stands that quickly become monocultures.Wild parsnip outcompetes native plants and reduces local biodiversity.Wild parsnip is an aggressive invasive plant that is mainly found in disturbed areas.Spreads easily by seed by wind, water, attaching to clothing/equipment.The stem is green and smooth, 2.5-5 cm thick, with few hairs.They tend to be mitten-shaped, with serrated edges. Leaves consist of 2-5 pairs of leaflets that grow opposite each other along the stem.Second year plants grow 50-150 cm in height.Flowering portion is umbrella shaped (like Queen Anne’s Lace) with small, yellow, 5-petaled flowers.In it’s second year the plant produces a flowering stalk.First year plants form low-growing leafy rosettes.A biennial, meaning the plant only lives for two years and then dies.It’s likely that it was brought to North America by European settlers as a food source. ![]() The plant’s root resembles the domestic parsnip and is also edible. It has been grown in North America since at least 1609 (Virginia). Wild parsnip, also known as poison parsnip, is native to Europe and Asia. Seeds can remain dormant for years.Wild Parsnip, Pastinaca sativa, Apiaceae. The plants have to be cut down at just the right time of year - late June or early July - or the cutting can make them spread even more. Wild parsnip on private property is the responsibility of the owner. Given the spread of this invasive species, it isn't possible to get rid of it entirely." Naturalized areas immediately adjacent to public areas are monitored for wild parsnip. Municipal parks and public areas are mowed weekly. "City crews regularly mow beside nature trails and roadsides and know to target wild parsnip. "The city has efforts in place to manage this weed on municipal property," the website states. It urges trail users to stay on the pathways to avoid coming into contact with the weed. The city has devoted part of its website to the wild parsnip issue. "It's not a nice plant, and as much as we all disapprove of the use of certain weed controls, I think we have to give some consideration to how we are going to deal with this one." "I think the province needs to step in and give some consideration to how they are going to deal with these noxious weeds," he said. George believes it is more than just a municipal problem. 416 it is all along the side of the road up there." He drove to Ottawa last weekend and "even on Hwy. We definitely need to have a solution in order to deal with it before someone is seriously injured, because it is a very dangerous plant," George said. "You notice it on a lot of the side roads. We have had to be extremely cautious in the field because it seems to be popping up everywhere now." ![]() The fellows have been avoiding it because they have come across areas where it has been very prevalent. "We are being very, very cautious when they are out doing the field work. George is in the surveying business and his own field crews run the risk of exposure to the weed. "We really need to do something about it," George said. George said he believed staff are already researching the weed and he expects them to report their findings to council, along with any new suggestions to control it. He sent the pictures of Jackson's injuries to his councillor, Kevin George, asking that the city do something about the situation. You drive in there and it looks like you are driving in the Amazon." Shannon has lived in the area for the past two years and "I have never seen anything like it." Shannon had to wash Jackson with a special shampoo and treat him with steroids. The vet bill to treat the burns, along with the medication the dog needed, amounted to $600. "My dog has never had anything like these burns before. He doesn't like the dog to do his business on private yards, so he let him go into the weeds, where he believes Jackson came in contact with the wild parsnip sap. ![]() The dog, a six-year-old boxer named Jackson, was on a leash as Shannon took him for a walk. The sap of wild parsnip contains compounds that can burn the skin or eyes, becoming even worse when exposed to sunlight. He had to take his dog to the vet when it suddenly developed burns on its back after wandering into a patch of wild parsnip near his house. "It burned my dog," said James Shannon, who lives in Westbrook Meadows. While city staff are doing their own research into the problems posed by wild parsnip, a west-end man believes he has learned first-hand about the effects that exposure to the weed's sap can have on skin.
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