What Is Wild Parsnip? How To Treat Wild Parsnip Rash
What is wild parsnip? Where does it grow? How do you get rid of it? How do you treat nasty rashes from this pesky plant? In this post, I’m going to go over all of these questions and share with you the recipe that 100% healed my son’s arm from an ugly wild parsnip blister.
Medical disclaimer: I am not a doctor. In this post I am simply sharing a recipe that worked for my family, not medical advice. Use your own discernment on whether the information on this post may be helpful for you. What worked for my family, may not work for yours.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure policy here.
What Is Wild Parsnip?
Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa): Wild parsnip is a member of the carrot/parsley family, it produces sap containing chemicals that can irritate human skin, especially when exposed to UV rays.
This plant is scattered across the United States, Canada, and Europe. It is native to Europe and Asia, but invasive to the US and Canada.
Parsnip is a root vegetable that has been grown for centuries as a culinary vegetable. There is a difference between regular parsnip you’d grown in your garden and wild parsnip. The roots of the wild parsnip plant are actually edible. But the sap produced in the stem can cause severe burns making harvesting of the roots a task most people do not want to undertake. *Disclaimer never harvest or consume a plant that you are not 100% certain is edible and safe. It is advised to seek knowledge from a local professional before consuming any plant you find.*
How To Identify Wild Parsnip:
Generally found in places of disturbed soil like the roadside, ditches, driveways, railroads, or tilled fields.
- This plant grows up to 5ft tall
- Has a thick, single main green stem that is smooth with a few small hairs
- Bright green leaves grow in pairs that are shaped like a mitten with sharp tooth shaped edges (remind me of celery leaves)
- Has yellow flowers very similar looking to Giant hog weed, Queen Anne’s lace, and Dill.
- Seeds are tiny, flat, and overall round.
Wild Parsnip Rash:
This plant contains a sap in its stem that can cause severe burns especially when exposed to the sun’s UV rays. The chemical reaction from the sap, called phytophotodermatitis, is very corrosive that it can cause a rash and blistering as bad as second-degree burns. The blisters can take weeks to heal and may leave lingering scars.
Symptoms of a wild parsnip rash:
- Appears within 12-24 hours
- Red
- Blistering
- Sunburn appearance
- Itchy
- Skin darkening
To prevent exposure to wild parsnip, wear long clothes when walking near roadsides, in fields, ditches, or hiking. Use caution when trying to remove the plant from your yard following the tips below.
If you come into contact with wild parsnip:
- Cover the affected area with a cool cloth right away
- Mix together my recipe for wild parsnip rash below and soak with a cotton ball for 5 to 10 minutes
- Apply healing salve or ointment to the burn (I prefer my Healing Dandelion Calendula Salve recipe.)
- Avoid rupturing any blisters that appear as long as possible.
- Seek medical advice if the rash isn’t healing or seems to be infected.
How To Safely Remove Wild Parsnip From Your Yard:
If you find a wild parsnip plant in your yard, you want to remove it safely. This plant is invasive in the US and Canada, and aggressively spreads.
Tips to safely remove wild parsnip plants:
Wild parsnip has a 2 year growing cycle. The first year it will simply appear as a small leafy plant. The second year it grows into a tall, flowering stalk. It needs to be monitored for multiple years to make sure that the entire plant has been eradicated.
- Cover all exposed skin especially arms and hands with waterproof clothing, especially gloves
- After removal, wash waterproof gloves with soap and water, while still wearing the washed gloves, remove other protective clothing and throw in washing machine right away, wash waterproof gloves again, remove gloves, and take a shower to further prevent any plant exposure.
- Preferably in the spring, dig up as much of the deep tap root as possible.
- In a few weeks, follow up by digging in that area again to make sure there is no regrowth.
- If you do not find wild parsnip until the plant is very tall, cut the plant down at the base carefully, then dig out the tap root.
- To ensure no future regrowth you can cover the area where you dug the tap root with landscaping plastic for at least 1 year to kill off any remaining roots.
- New, beneficial plants should be planted in that are after a few years to prevent regrowth.
- DO NOT burn or compost freshly cut wild parsnip plants. Leave them to dry where you cut them or in a garbage bag exposed to the sun. Dispose in regular trash.
Help! This Rash Will Not Go Away.
2 years ago, my son (who was 5 at the time) developed a large (1/2 inch+) blister on this forearm. It was an odd rash. A single, large burn/blister that randomly appeared overnight. I asked my mother-in-law if she recognized such a rash, and she diagnosed it as wild parsnip. This made sense, since we frequently walk along our roadside in the summer looking for insects to identify. So I started treatment. I did not rupture the blister, but used multiple different ointments and salves to encourage healing.
After almost 2 weeks of absolutely no progress and a vast amount of home remedies tried, I had a friend recommend to me a salt soak to dry out the rash. I made up a simple recipe, and to my great delight, it worked beautifully! Within 2 more weeks the blister had not only self drained, healed, but also left barely a mark on my son’s tan little arm. To this day, there is absolutely no scarring where that awful blister had been.
This recipe has now been passed along to friends, and reportedly successful for healing poison ivy, and shingles as well! Yay for simple home remedies that work!
Why This Solution Works:
The salt and vinegar act to dry out the blister and rash, caused by the oils and sap of the wild parsnip plant. Some advise not to use any oils on plant rashes such as poison oak, Ivy, and Parsnip. I did have good results following the salt solution with a calendula salve. Although calamine lotion, aloe vera, and hydrocortisone creams are often suggested in place of a salve for healing and scar prevention.
Does This Home Remedy Sting?
If the blister has ruptured, the rash is raw, or the under-layer of skin is exposed the salt and vinegar will sting the wound. Applying a salve, aloe vera, or coconut oil before using the solution may help reduce stinging. If the stinging is unbearable, using calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream may be your best option for healing.
Recipe For Healing Salt Solution:
Tools You’ll Need:
Small jar or container (to store salt solution a spray bottle makes a convenient applicator)
Cotton pad or square
Bandages
Ingredients:
Distilled or RO water
Apple Cider Vinegar (preferably with the mother)
Salt (I use Redmonds)
Tea Tree Oil (Cleansing)
Peppermint Oil (Cooling)
How To Make Healing Wild Parsnip Rash Solution:
Mix salt and water in container and shake until completely dissolved
Add the apple cider vinegar
Add the drops of tea tree and peppermint oils
Store mixture in fridge between uses
Apply to wild parsnip or poison ivy rash 3-4 times a day on a cotton pad. Soak a minimum 5 minutes.
Follow with aloe vera gel, calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, or calendula salve between applications if the area is particularly raw. This is not a necessary step but can also help prevent scarring.
Shake or mix solution well before each application.
Wild Parsnip / Poison Ivy Healing Salt Solution
Equipment
- Small jar or container (to store salt solution a spray bottle makes a convenient applicator)
- Bandages
- Cotton Pad or square
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Distilled or RO water
- 1 tsp Salt I use Redmonds
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar preferably with the mother
- 2 drops Tea Tree Oil Cleansing
- 2 drops Peppermint Oil Cooling
Instructions
- Mix salt and water in container and shake until completely dissolved
- Add the rest of the ingredients
- Store mixture in fridge between uses
- Apply to wild parsnip or poison ivy rash 3-4 times a day on a cotton pad. Soak a minimum 5 minutes.
- Follow with aloe vera gel, calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, or calendula salve between applications if the area is particularly raw. This is not a necessary step but can also help prevent scarring.
- Shake or mix solution well before each application.
Notes
Links:
https://communityhealth.mayoclinic.org/featured-stories/poisonous-wild-plants-2020
This post contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please read my full disclosure policy here.
Donveyfarms.com offers no guarantee for the accuracy and completeness of the information. Disclaimer: I am not a medical expert. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not disregard professional medical advice because of something you have read on this Website Donveyfarms.com. Any application of the material provided is at the reader’s discretion and is his or her sole responsibility. Effective as of 12/10/2024
Have You Ever Had To Treat Wild Parsnip Rash?
Please share your experience in the comment section below to further help other people in naturally treating this common summer issue!
