this is a plant called wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) that has recently started to show up along the roadsides and in other areas in michigan, our garden for instance. it has attractive yellow flowers growing as high as four feet tall, and resembles other carrot family umbrellifera, like queen anne's lace.
but this is a dangerous plant, as its sap is highly toxic, containing chemicals (furocoumarins) that will burn and blister the skin when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight. (google it if you want to see some nasty second-degree burns on several websites). if you find it on your property, check various websites for how to eliminate it.
this is a stand of wild parsnip along six mile road, near earhart. judging from the bikes and toys in the driveways, it's likely that children either live or play in the houses nearby. i wonder if the adults know about the dangers of this plant? we expect everyone to be familiar with poison ivy, but this is possibly even more dangerous, and the flowers are attractive. once established, it spread rapidly.
should i tell the families what i know about this scary but pretty plant?
on the subject of alien invasive plants (those that have the potential to take over and dominate an area), it seems that before long the entire state of michigan and much else will be completely covered with garlic mustard, canada thistle, autumn olive, purple loosestrife, reed canary grass, wild parsnip, buckthorn, and various others too numerous to mention. it's downright depressing to see stands of wild parsnip all along pontiac trail now.
No comments:
Post a Comment