Wild Parsnip (WP) & Giant Hogweed (GH) DO NOT TOUCH THESE PLANTS & Look a-likes- Cow Parsnip, Queen Anne’s lace, Poison Hemlock & Angelica

Impact – Poses a threat to human health as the sap causes a painful rash and blistering from the sap that persists for months+. The sap contains chemicals called furanocoumarins which can make skin vulnerable to sunlight / UV radiation. WP rash can last up to 6 months and may require medical attention. GH reaction can last years.

Wear protective clothing (PPE) – gloves, long sleeves and long pants when managing. Treat like poison ivy!

What is Wild Parsnip A widespread herbaceous biennial invasive herb from Europe and Asia, it has become naturalized in North America. It thrives in full sun along roadsides & fields. Biennial means it only lives two years. The first year it has a rosette of compound leaves and the second year it flowers and sets seeds which is how it reproduces.

How to identify Wild Parsnip- 2 – 5 ft tall, has smooth hairless hollow yellowish-green full length grooved stems (no hairs or bristles. Alternate compound branched serrated celery shaped leaves are yellow-green coarsely toothed with 3-5 leaflets. Flower stalks develop the second year. Blooms in June thru late July with small, five petaled yellow umbrella-shaped flowers arranged in a flat topped, 2 – 6” broad umbrella. Taproot is long cone-shaped and thick. Note- common to our area is Queens Anne’s Lace which looks similar but has white flowers. See below.

How to identify Giant Hogweed a long-lived perennial, (invasive) is also reported in the Adirondacks and is also a dangerous plant. Grows between 7 and 14 ft. tall depending on growth stage. Huge leaves are incised and deeply lobed & up to 5 ft across. GH stems are green with extensive purple splotches and prominent coarse white hairs. Stems are hollow, ridged 2-4 inches in diameter and have a thick circle of hairs at base of leaf stalk. White flowers with 50-100 flower rays clustered into an umbrella shaped flower cluster up to 2.5 ft across.

Wild Parsnip Look a-likes.

Queens Anne’s Lace – flowers may also cause skin irritation. Flat topped umbrel of white flower clusters 2-4 inches wide. The central flower cluster usually deep purple. When fruiting, the umbrel becomes concave and resembles a bird’s nest. Leaves are compound, pinnate and fern-like. Stems are covered with bristly hairs.

Cow Parsnip also contains furanocoumarins and causes burns. Grows 5 to 8 ft tall with white flat-topped flower clusters no longer than one foot wide. 15 to 30 rays per cluster. Flowers late May to Late June. Commonly misidentified as giant hogweed. Leaves are compound less incised than hogweed & between 2-2.5 ft wide. Stems are 1-2 inches in diameter, green and rigid with fine white hairs.

Angelica this plant can also cause burns. Grows 4-8 ft tall, with softball sized and shaped flowers- greenish white or white in midMay – mid-June. Leaves are compound and may extend up to 2 ft wide. Stems are smooth, waxy purple, 2-2.5 inches in diameter with no hairs or bristles.

Poison Hemlock All parts of this plant are very poisonous. Grows 4-9 ft tall. Flowers are small and white arranged in numerous flattopped clusters on all branches. Flowers late May – Late Jun. Leaves are bright green, small and fern like and may appear glossy. Stem is smooth and way with purple blotches, 1-2 inches in diameter with no hairs or bristles.

What to do / Help / Controls-

Wild Parsnip control is fairly easy as it is a biennial but steps should be taken before seeds develop in July. Repeated cutting the plant may be effective, BUT READ CAUTION BELOW! Follow up with repeated surveys as seeds (seed bank) in the ground can last for a long time. It is important to remove infestations while they are small and not well established. If cut too early while plant is flowering, new flowers will form on lower branches. But cut seed heads before the seed matures and becomes dry to prevent the plant from shedding seeds while you are removing the head. Solarize the seed heads! See below. Monitor site each year. In our area, seeds form in July and may be shed by early August. ESSLA is actively managing this invasive. Contact us at ESSLA.org.

Giant Hogweed It is found in the Adirondacks and NYS is actively managing. Guidelines for Giant Hogweed- https: //www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/ghcontrol.pdf GH is more dangerous than WP. Burns from Giant Hogweed sap can cause rash for 3 years or more. Do not try to remove by yourself. Giant Hogweed is of so much concern that NY established a hotline 845 256 3111 to report it, or email to; ghogweed@dec.ny.gov Have location information available. Giant Hogweed is widespread throughout NY.

CAUTION- Wear protective clothing – gloves, boots, long sleeves and long pants, eye protection, etc. when managing. Treat both as worse than poison ivy!

DO NOT use power equipment which will cause sap spray. Use PPE– rubber boots, long sleeve shirts and long pants, rubber gloves, eye protection, rain suit, etc. Synthetic water-resistant materials are best as cotton and linen fibers can soak up sap and be penetrated by plant hairs. Use long handle cutters to stay far away from the plant as possible. Do not touch your face. Have a bucket of soap and water with you to immediately wash both during management and when finished. Use the cutter or other tool to pick up the cuttings, not your hands. A helper to manage the cuttings when bagging is recommended. Use a garbage pail or container to hold the plastic bag to prevent accidental contact when bagging. When done, wash all tools, equipment & clothes separately. Shower when done even if you think you have not had contact with the plant or sap. If contact with the sap occurs, wash the affected areas thoroughly with soap and water, and keep covered for at least 48 hours to prevent a reaction. The sap is very clear, almost like water, and you will not know that you have had contact. Even brushing up against the plant will transfer the sap. If a reaction occurs, keep the affected area out of sunlight to prevent further burning and use sunscreen on affected areas. Serious burns- see a physician.

Selective herbicides such as 1 to 3 % glyphosate or Triclopyr foliar spray may also be carefully applied in May & June.

Removal of WP cuttings (with or without seed heads)- Solarize pieces in plastic bags (clear preferred) for two weeks and leave in sun which will destroy seed viability. Recommend double bagging as stems may puncture the bag making others at risk. After two weeks, take to a sanitary landfill. Rev 8/8/21