Wild Parsnip Control: How to Get Rid of Wild Parsnips

This page is an expert guide on getting rid of Wild Parsnips from your property using the products and methods suggested by our experienced lawn care specialists. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee you will be successful in eliminating Wild Parsnips.

It is a common problem to get rashes because of wild plants. Because of their ability to rapidly grow, wild plants can spread over a landscape in little time. In the attempts of getting rid of them, you may brush your skin against the plant and suffer an allergic reaction. The most common wild plants are Poison Ivy, Cow Parsnip, Giant Hogweed, Poison Sumac, Poison Oak, and Wild Parsnips.

Wild Parsnips are being spotted more and more along train tracks and roads. What's dangerous about it is the sap; touching it can be harmful to skin, resulting in rashes and bad blistering. If you are seeing an outbreak of Wild Parsnips, take action as soon as possible. This DIY treatment guide will help you to get rid of Wild Parsnips the right way.

Identification

Before carrying out a treatment program, you will need to first be certain that you are dealing with Wild Parsnips and not some other weed. Careless identification can lead to using the wrong treatment methods which can be a waste of time and money.

• Wild Parsnips are in the same family as Wild Carrot. They look similar but while Wild Carrot has white flowers, Wild Parsnips are yellow.
• If left uncut, Wild Parsnip can grow several feet high. They are covered in tiny yellow flowers that come in clusters with the overall shape looking like an umbrella. The leaves of the Wild Parsnip have a saw-like edge.
• During the first year of their growth, Wild Parsnips only has small rosettes that begin to appear on the leaves. During the second year of its growth, the plant sends up tall stems so it can attract yellow clusters of flowers.
• When Wild Parsnips are blooming, it is easy to identify it and it is the best time to cut them. Once it starts to form the seed heads, the plant begins to get out of hand.
• There is a liquid-like sap in the stem of the Wild Parsnip and in its flowers and leaves that could attract sunlight and cause burns on your skin. The reaction described is known as phytophotodermatitis. The rash begins to look like a sunburn after a little while. If the contact with the plant was for an extended amount of time, it can cause blisters and discoloration.

Use the above description and image to help you in properly identify Wild Parsnips. If you are unsure whether or not the weed you are seeing is Wild Parsnips or some other plant, you can always contact us and our lawn care experts will help to correctly identify your weed growth and suggest treatment options.

Inspection

After you have confirmed that you are dealing with Wild Parsnips, you can then move on to inspection. During this phase, you will locate areas where Wild Carrot is thriving and observe the conditions that are allowing it to thrive. This information will help you in knowing where to focus your herbicide application.

Where to Inspect

Wild Parsnips grow in areas where there is urban sprawl. Anytime there is new road work going on, soil ends up getting mixed up and often the first thing that will grow there are weeds like Wild Parsnips. Look for it in backyards, roadsides, sidewalks, and similar areas.

What To Look For

Wild Parsnip is a really tall plant, ranging between 2 to 5 feet tall. It's got a thick fibrous stem, but what makes it stand out the most is its broad umbrella-shaped cluster of yellowish-greenish flowers.

Treatment

If you have confirmed where the Wild Parsnips are growing on your property then treat them with a post-emergent herbicide treatment of 2,4-D Amine Weed Killer. This professional-quality herbicide is labeled to control Wild Parsnips. It is easy to use and is selective so it will only target the weed and not harm your desired vegetation.

Before handling or mixing any herbicide chemicals, please make sure you have the proper personal protective equipment on in the form of gloves, a safety mask and protective eyewear.

Step 1: Mix And Apply 2,4-D Amine

Measure the square footage of the treatment area to determine how much 2,4-D you will need. For general use on ornamental turfs, 2,4-D Amine should be mixed at a rate of 2 to 3.16 pints per acre. For small applications with a hand sprayer, this breaks down to 0.72 to 1.1 fl. oz. per 1,000 square feet. Mixing 2 4-D with a surfactant like Nanotek Surfactant will help the product to stick better to the weed and make the herbicide work more effectively.

For example, if you have a 2,000 sq. ft. area to treat, you will need to mix 1.44 to 2.2 fl. oz. in 2 gallons of water. Once you have made your measurements and calculated how much 2,4-D you need, mix the product and surfactant with the appropriate amount of water in a handheld or backpack sprayer. Shake the sprayer to ensure the solution is well-mixed and then you're ready to spray.

When applying, change the nozzle set to a fan nozzle so it will spray a fine mist on the plant and get an even coating on the Wild Parsnip.

Step 2 - Follow Up Application

There is a chance that it will take more than one application to eliminate the root of the plant. However, if you were not entirely successful in defeating the plants roots, there is a high chance that you have slowed the spreading process.

Prevention

Once you have gotten rid of Wild Parsnip from your lawn, you will need to implement some lawn maintenance practices which ensure that the blister-inducing weed doesn't make a return. This can be difficult because the Wild Parsnips seeds can be blown onto your property by wind or other ways that may not be in your control.

• One preventative measure is regular mowing to prevent re-sprouting and washing equipment to prevent any seeds from being moved to new areas.
• If Wild Parsnip starts to grow again on your property, address it when it is very young by either digging out the plant with a shovel or hand-pulling the plant using protective gloves.

Key Takeaways

What are Wild Parsnips?

• Wild Parsnips are a common weed that grows on properties, roadsides, along train tracks and is known for its sap that can causes painful rashes and blisters.

How To Get Rid of Wild Parsnips

• To treat growing Wild Parsnips, we recommend applying 2,4-D Amine Selective Weed Killer. Apply uniformly to the weeds and reapply as needed until the weed is completely eradicated.

Preventing Wild Parsnips Reemergence

• Prevent Wild Parsnips by catching plants when their young and either digging them out or hand-pulling them to stop reestablishment.