Not a real parsnip, and not something to touch or burn or compost. If the plant oil gets on the skin, and if the skin is exposed to natural daylight, the oil causes phytodermatitis — a skin burn. The weed is 5 feet tall or so, with flowers almost the size of a dinner plate.

From our commuter bus a flash of a view was visible out the window every morning for days. It finally concerned me enough that I got off the bus and took a good look.

At first I was afraid it was Giant Hogweed. Hogweed is larger, and hazardously toxic. (While looking up images of Hogweed, I inadvertently populated my viewing screen with a gallery of Hogweed injuries. The burns in those images were very serious.)

But no, my scattershot amateurish citizen-science online research suggested that this was Cow “Parsnip,” a smaller less dangerous cousin. Cow Parsnip is still a burn issue though, and this patch of it was thriving wildly.

Problem is, it was growing outside a school building. It took some tracking down & around, but I found the landscaping team in charge of the grounds, and emailed them pictures and a statement of the problem, and my concern that some student might go outside and start picking jumbo flowers. The facilities office responded right away! Their coordinator emailed that a work order report was now on record. What’s more, later the coordinator emailed again, to say that the grounds crew were going to add this to their day’s inspection.

Professionals were on the case, and could decide what to do. It was reassuring to leave this issue in their hands and gloves.