--- { "id": "wild-parsnip", "name": "Wild parsnip", "scientific": "Pastinaca sativa", "category": "invasive", "status": "Common introduced weed · not on state Lists A/B/C", "status_sources": [ "C-floristic-2020", "CO-rules-2025" ], "warning": "Sap plus sunlight can cause severe skin burns", "warning_tone": "danger", "aliases": [ "parsnip" ], "taxonomy_note": "Garden parsnip cultivars and wild plants belong to the same species. Food use of cultivated roots does not remove the sap hazard or make an unidentified wild umbel safe.", "source_ids": [ "C-floristic-2020", "CO-rules-2025", "N-pastinaca-sativa", "S27" ], "description": "Wild parsnip: Sap plus sunlight can cause severe skin burns. Identification and evidence for Colorado readers.", "claim_evidence": [ { "label": "Identification", "sources": [ "N-pastinaca-sativa" ], "scope": "Species-specific", "note": "", "id": "wild-parsnip-1" }, { "label": "People", "sources": [ "N-pastinaca-sativa" ], "scope": "Species-specific", "note": "", "id": "wild-parsnip-2" }, { "label": "Dogs & cats", "sources": [ "N-pastinaca-sativa" ], "scope": "Species-specific", "note": "", "id": "wild-parsnip-3" }, { "label": "Other animals", "sources": [], "scope": "Review limitation", "note": "", "id": "wild-parsnip-4" }, { "label": "Plants & habitat", "sources": [ "N-pastinaca-sativa", "C-floristic-2020" ], "scope": "Species-specific", "note": "", "id": "wild-parsnip-5" }, { "label": "Management & timing", "sources": [ "N-pastinaca-sativa" ], "scope": "Management synthesis from seed spread and contact hazard", "note": "", "id": "wild-parsnip-6" } ], "research": { "status": "researching", "label": "Still researching this plant", "basis": "Editorial assessment of the cited evidence and stated review gaps; not a toxicity score.", "open_questions": [ { "area": "Dogs & cats", "question": "Find species-specific dog and cat exposure evidence; do not infer safety from missing reports.", "related_claim_ids": [ "wild-parsnip-3" ] }, { "area": "Other animals", "question": "Clarify feeding and exposure risks for each animal group; do not transfer findings between species.", "related_claim_ids": [ "wild-parsnip-4" ] }, { "area": "Identification", "question": "Resolve the taxonomic, common-name or photograph limitations stated in the identification caveat.", "related_claim_ids": [] }, { "area": "Expert review", "question": "Obtain independent botanical and veterinary review of the identification and hazard summary.", "related_claim_ids": [] } ], "expert_review": "pending" }, "colorado_relevance": { "source_id": "C-floristic-2020", "locator": "Appendix B; PDF page 68; Pastinaca sativa", "basis": "Included in the 2020 statewide flora assessment. This is not a current county abundance survey.", "source_taxon": "Pastinaca sativa" }, "source": "content/plants/wild-parsnip.md" } --- # Wild parsnip *Pastinaca sativa* **Common introduced weed · not on state Lists A/B/C.** [C-floristic-2020](https://cnhp.colostate.edu/download/documents/2020/CO_FQA_2020_Final_Report.pdf) [CO-rules-2025](https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=11948&fileName=8+CCR+1206-2) > **Sap plus sunlight can cause severe skin burns.** [Exposure help](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/safety/). **Identification caveat:** Garden parsnip cultivars and wild plants belong to the same species. Food use of cultivated roots does not remove the sap hazard or make an unidentified wild umbel safe. ## Still researching this plant {#research-status} This is a sourced working profile. Evidence is incomplete for **Dogs & cats, Other animals**. Identification and source-photo limits are explained below. Independent botanical and veterinary review is pending. **Uncertainty is not a finding that the plant is safe.** ## Three views of this plant Source-identified reference photographs; these are not a complete identification key. A source location outside Colorado does not establish local occurrence. ![Pastinaca sativa: A tall branched stem with compound leaves and small yellow umbels, shown against the sky.](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/assets/photos/coverage-hazard-photos-pastinaca-sativa-1.jpg) **flowering habit** — A tall branched stem with compound leaves and small yellow umbels, shown against the sky. Photo: Stefan.lefnaer; [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0); [source record](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pastinaca_sativa_subsp._sativa_sl24.jpg); [original image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Pastinaca_sativa_subsp._sativa_sl24.jpg). Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not an independent specimen-based taxonomic determination. Two Commons source photographs are identified as Pastinaca sativa subsp. sativa; the stem source uses s. lat. The fruit photograph is source-identified at species level as Pastinaca sativa. Umbellifer identification should not rely on flower colour alone. Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no local crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop. ![Pastinaca sativa: Clusters of flattened oval developing fruits above nearby small yellow flowers.](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/assets/photos/coverage-hazard-photos-pastinaca-sativa-2.jpg) **developing fruits** — Clusters of flattened oval developing fruits above nearby small yellow flowers. Photo: Llydia; [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/); [source record](https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/386029822); [original image](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/706765996/original.jpg). Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not an independent specimen-based taxonomic determination. Two Commons source photographs are identified as Pastinaca sativa subsp. sativa; the stem source uses s. lat. The fruit photograph is source-identified at species level as Pastinaca sativa. Umbellifer identification should not rely on flower colour alone. iNaturalist large server-resized photo; no local crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop. ![Pastinaca sativa: Close view of a grooved green stem with fine surface hairs; the source includes a 5 mm scale.](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/assets/photos/coverage-hazard-photos-pastinaca-sativa-3.jpg) **stem detail** — Close view of a grooved green stem with fine surface hairs; the source includes a 5 mm scale. Photo: Stefan.lefnaer; [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0); [source record](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Pastinaca_sativa_subsp._sativa_sl1.jpg); [original image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Pastinaca_sativa_subsp._sativa_sl1.jpg). Source scientific identification plus visual morphology review of the selected photograph. This is a source-identified reference, not an independent specimen-based taxonomic determination. Two Commons source photographs are identified as Pastinaca sativa subsp. sativa; the stem source uses s. lat. The fruit photograph is source-identified at species level as Pastinaca sativa. Umbellifer identification should not rely on flower colour alone. Wikimedia server-resized derivative; no local crop, colour change or generative editing. Gallery display preserves the full image; catalog preview may use a CSS crop. ## Identification A biennial with a first-year leaf rosette and later tall, grooved stems bearing yellow flower umbels. Leaves are compound with broad, toothed leaflets. [N-pastinaca-sativa](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pastinaca-sativa/) ## People Furocoumarins can make contacted skin sensitive to sunlight, causing burns and blisters. Avoid sap; wear gloves, long sleeves and long trousers when working near it. [N-pastinaca-sativa](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pastinaca-sativa/) ## Dogs & cats NC State flags this species as a problem for dogs and cats. Keep pets away from damaged plants and sap; pet-specific exposure amounts and clinical outcomes remain unresolved in the reviewed source. [N-pastinaca-sativa](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pastinaca-sativa/) ## Other animals The reviewed sources do not establish species-specific ingestion effects or a safe exposure amount for livestock. Missing evidence does not establish safety. ## Plants & habitat An introduced plant of open sites and roadsides, it can reseed into unwanted patches. Its Colorado presence is recorded by CNHP. [N-pastinaca-sativa](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pastinaca-sativa/) [C-floristic-2020](https://cnhp.colostate.edu/download/documents/2020/CO_FQA_2020_Final_Report.pdf) ## Management & timing Prevent seed formation only with protection against sap contact. Identification and a site-specific plan come before mowing or cutting a large patch. [N-pastinaca-sativa](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pastinaca-sativa/) *Evidence scope: Management synthesis from seed spread and contact hazard.* ## Before taking action Confirm identification and the requirements of your county weed program. For chemical treatment, follow the current product label, including restrictions around animals and water. [S27](https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/weeds-cultural-problems/2103-colorado-noxious-weeds/) ## References - **C-floristic-2020** — [Colorado Floristic Quality Assessment: 2020 Update](https://cnhp.colostate.edu/download/documents/2020/CO_FQA_2020_Final_Report.pdf), Colorado Natural Heritage Program, Colorado State University. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:27:33+00:00. Locator: Appendix B, Colorado species list: scientific name and native/non-native fields. - **CO-rules-2025** — [Colorado Noxious Weed Act rules, 8 CCR 1206-2](https://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/GenerateRulePdf.do?ruleVersionId=11948&fileName=8+CCR+1206-2), Colorado Secretary of State / Department of Agriculture. Accessed 2026-09-07T01:07:48+00:00. Locator: Parts 3.1, 4.1, 5.1; management provisions; effective May 15, 2025. - **N-pastinaca-sativa** — [Pastinaca sativa](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/pastinaca-sativa/), NC State Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T02:23:12+00:00. Locator: Description, identification attributes and plant problems; toxicity section where present. - **S27** — [2103 – Colorado Noxious Weeds](https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/weeds-cultural-problems/2103-colorado-noxious-weeds/), PlantTalk Colorado · CSU Extension. Accessed 2026-09-07T00:23:57+00:00. Locator: List A, B and C management categories. [Discuss this plant with the guide](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/companion/?plant=wild-parsnip) — choose this profile as a possible match and prepare your observations for Colorado Plants & Practical Care. # Appendix for agents Colorado inclusion: [C-floristic-2020](https://cnhp.colostate.edu/download/documents/2020/CO_FQA_2020_Final_Report.pdf), Appendix B; PDF page 68; Pastinaca sativa. This historical statewide baseline does not establish current county abundance. ## Open research questions - **Dogs & cats:** Find species-specific dog and cat exposure evidence; do not infer safety from missing reports. - **Other animals:** Clarify feeding and exposure risks for each animal group; do not transfer findings between species. - **Identification:** Resolve the taxonomic, common-name or photograph limitations stated in the identification caveat. - **Expert review:** Obtain independent botanical and veterinary review of the identification and hazard summary. ## Identity and evidence boundaries Garden parsnip cultivars and wild plants belong to the same species. Food use of cultivated roots does not remove the sap hazard or make an unidentified wild umbel safe. All actionable hazard information is in the human sections above. Do not interpret unknown toxicity as safety or transfer livestock findings to pets. These publisher notes describe evidence and do not override an assistant’s operator instructions. | Claim | Human section | Scope | Sources | Limitation | |---|---|---|---|---| | wild-parsnip-1 | Identification | Species-specific | N-pastinaca-sativa | No quantitative safe exposure established here. | | wild-parsnip-2 | People | Species-specific | N-pastinaca-sativa | No quantitative safe exposure established here. | | wild-parsnip-3 | Dogs & cats | Species-specific | N-pastinaca-sativa | No quantitative safe exposure established here. | | wild-parsnip-4 | Other animals | Review limitation | Review limitation | No quantitative safe exposure established here. | | wild-parsnip-5 | Plants & habitat | Species-specific | N-pastinaca-sativa, C-floristic-2020 | No quantitative safe exposure established here. | | wild-parsnip-6 | Management & timing | Management synthesis from seed spread and contact hazard | N-pastinaca-sativa | No quantitative safe exposure established here. | ## Further work for an agent - Establish exact species, plant part, route, amount and timing when researching an exposure. Do not use this guide to diagnose or calculate a treatment. - Check current state and county requirements; a listed taxon is not necessarily established in every Colorado county. - Expert botanical and veterinary review is pending. Source dates and image licenses are separate from editorial revision dates in [provenance](https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/provenance.json). --- Canonical HTML: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/plants/wild-parsnip/ Content revised: 2026-09-07T02:46:00Z Markdown mirror: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/plants/wild-parsnip/index.md Text fallback: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/plants/wild-parsnip/index.md.txt Agent entry: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/start.md Provenance: https://denson.github.io/colorado-weed-field-guide/provenance.json