With wild parsnip being found on riding trails more and more in Michigan, organizations are warning riders about the plant.
The Great Lake Four Wheels Association warned riders on Tuesday, July 28 about the plant. Wild parsnip spreads aggressively through seeds carried by wind, water and equipment. Stem, leaves, and flowers contain chemicals that can increase skin sensitivity to sunlight and cause severe rash or blistering. Plant chemicals are known to reduce weight gain and fertility in livestock that eat wild parsnip.
Brushing against broken stems or leaves while riding an ORV transfers toxic sap to your skin, triggering severe phytophotodermatitis upon UV exposure. Wild parsnip is widespread throughout the U.S. except Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Hawaii.
These are biennial flowering herbs on a single stem that grows to 5 feet tall. Leaves consist of 2 to 5 pairs of leaflets that grow across from each other along the stem, and one diamond-shaped leaflet on the end. Leaflets are toothed and often shaped like a mitten. Yellowish green flowers form umbrella-shaped clusters 4 to 8 inches across.
The Great Lake Four Wheels Association provided a number of safety tips for riders