Wear gloves, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts when working outside, in fields, or in overgrown areas that contain this plant to avoid contact with the sap. Plan weeding activities for later in the evening during low levels of sunlight to avoid activating the blistering process. Wild parsnip that has been cut and allowed to dry is safer to handle. Do not wait too long or forget to dispose of cut wild parsnip as seed can develop while the cut plant lays on the ground.

Check landscapes periodically for the presence of wild parsnip. Just because it isn’t there now, does not mean it won’t germinate next week.

Wild parsnip is a biennial, so all control activities should be done before it starts flowering or at least during the early flower stage. The basal rosettes can also be controlled in the fall to prevent flowering the next year.

• Mechanical control: Cut the root 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface. Brushcutters can be used for large populations before the seed sets. When mowing dense stands of wild parsnip, eye protection and possibly a mask can protect your eyes and lungs. For smaller populations, cut off the flowering heads and dispose in a landfill. Avoid using string trimmers where you may encounter wild parsnip. The pulverizing, flinging action of string trimmers sprays plant parts and juices everywhere. Operators are often left speckled with blisters and red rashes.
• Chemical Control: Always read and follow herbicide labels before initiating treatment. The small rosette of young wild parsnip plants can be spot treated with broad spectrum or broad-leaf specific herbicides.

For more information, explore Management of Invasive Plants and Pests of Illinois.

• Carrots Gone Bad: Wild Parsnip, Giant Hogweed and Poison Hemlock
• Identify, Avoid, and Manage  Troublesome Wild Parsnip