A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

By LADYBUG

Gardeners extol the virtues of native plants as being drought-tolerant, attracting pollinators and good for the environment. But everything growing in a naturalized space is not a native plant – invasive species abound – nor is every native plant safe. Here’s a cautionary tale.

Last year, a friend invited us to take a stroll in a park near their condo in Toronto. Many had the same idea that summer evening, and we passed people enjoying a picnic on the grass, walking their dogs and children riding little bikes or roller-blading.

James Gordon Park by the Humber River in Etobicoke is a beautiful space, green and well-maintained. Or so I thought until I spotted a whole line of shrubs trailing pretty yellow blooms over a path.

Having just read a report about wild parsnips and how poisonous they can be, I wondered if that’s what these were.

My trusty Google lens confirmed my fears. All those shrubs with all those blooms were indeed wild parsnip.

Look it up and you will learn on Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program that “wild parsnip is an invasive plant native to Europe and Asia. Since its introduction, wild parsnip has escaped from cultivated gardens and spread across the continent. Wild parsnip roots are edible, but the sap of the plant can cause severe burns ... It produces sap containing chemicals that can cause human skin to react to sunlight, resulting in intense burns, rashes or blisters.”

Healthline reveals that “the burns are a reaction between the plant’s sap and your skin. The reaction is triggered by sunlight. It isn’t an immune or allergic response, but rather a sun-sensitive skin reaction due to the plant substance...

When the sap from the leaves and stems of these plants gets on your skin, and your skin is then exposed to sunlight, an inflammatory reaction takes place.

“About 24 hours after getting wild parsnip sap on your skin and being exposed to sunlight, you’ll begin to experience symptoms.

“Symptoms start with an intense local burning sensation, followed by a red rash. Over the next couple of days, the rash may get worse – sometimes with severe blistering.

“Some people may not recall any redness or blistering. Instead, you may see irregular patches on the skin, sometimes as linear streaks, a random cluster of small spots, or even fingerprint-sized spots.

“After about three days, the symptoms start to get better. Eventually, like after a bad sunburn, the burned skin cells die and flake off.

 “Wild parsnip burns will resolve on their own with time. It’s important to keep the affected area from being exposed to sunlight to avoid further burning and prevent further discoloration. Sunscreen is essential to prevent dark spots from darkening in the sun.

“If contact with wild parsnip sap followed by exposure to sunlight causes a burn and blisters, you can try ice packs for pain relief.

“If needed, try an over-the-counter (OTC) hydrocortisone cream to help soothe the inflammation. You might also consider using ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief.

“If the burn and blistering is severe, see a doctor. They may recommend a systemic or more potent prescription topical steroid to help relieve your discomfort.

“If you live in an area that has wild parsnip, you might come across it when hiking or harvesting crops, including u-pick operations.”

A simple search also throws up accounts of people suffering severe burns and blistering from coming in contact with wild parsnip.

I imagine the little kids playing in the park wanting to pick a pretty bouquet and shudder.

If you see this plant growing in a public space, please call the City and request them to pull it out, fence it off or at least put up signage warning people to avoid contact like they do with poison ivy in naturalized spaces.

And please don’t touch a plant you haven’t identified as being safe – you shouldn’t be plucking blooms in a public park anyway!