Danger: Wild Parsnip

[warbirdlover]

This is the sign posted by all the DNR parking areas when we went pheasant hunting last Saturday. And sure enough there was one right there near the sign. Never remember worrying about these things when I was a kid running through the tall grassy fields but now we have this. Read this from the DNR site. Anyone ever got "burned" by this stuff?

CAUTION: Care should be taken to avoid skin contact with the juices of this plant. Proper clothing (gloves and a long-sleeved shirt) must be worn to prevent the phytophotodermatitic effects.


http://dnr.wi.gov/invasives/fact/parsnip.htm

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrialplants/herbaceous/wildparsnip.html

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/veg/plants/wildparsnip.htm

 

[zxcvbob]

A guy that used to work in my department got burned up pretty bad by the stuff a few years ago from cutting a bunch down with a weed wacker. It was all over his arms and legs (I think he was wearing shorts at the time.)

There's another similar but larger plant that also causes this; I think it's called Giant Hogweed.

 

[warbirdlover]

Holy smokes... another one. Giant Hogweed is the correct name.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/39809.html

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/72556.html

 

[FrontSight]

OMG

 

[buck460XVR]

Queen Anne's Lace is similar I believe to Wild Parsnip and can cause severe burns if skin that has contacted leaves is exposed to direct sun.

Like Wild Parsnip, Queen Anne's Lace is an invasive species that wasn't always around when some of us were young. Most we had to worry about was Stinging Nettles and Poison Ivy.

 

[warbirdlover]

Info I found on Queen Anne's Lace didn't imply it was as nasty. Just said possible irritation from the leaves.

 

[upstate81]

There is a huge infestation of hog weed in my area it causes permanent scarring.

 

[Indi]

That stuff looks real familiar. I went fishing on the kankakee river in Illinois. We were fishing of the bank, and we would have to walk through some tall grass to get to the bank. I wore shorts and sandels, that was the most uncomfortable fishing trip ever. Felt like hot frying oil, I remember when I finally figured out it was from walking through that tall grass. I got a close up look, it looked like the spores would pop once they got on your skin and then start burning. Didn't leave any marks, but I didn't fish that bank again.

 

[warbirdlover]

There's FISH in the Kankakee river?