Plant ID please - suspected to be "Cow parsnip" (flower, growing)
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Yes, it certainly looks like wild parsnip. Those brownish-purplish freckles on the stems of the leaves are one more identifier besides the leaves and umbels. And yes, it can be dangerous, in some cases for some people the reaction is as bad as the reaction to giant hog weed. Horrible.
Don't touch it without protective covering and eyewear. Also be careful when removing protective gloves, eyewear and clothing later on so your skin won't come in contact with droplets of the oils/juices that may be on the protective gear. Get rid of all of the plant/plants right now, ASAP, before those flower umbels get a chance to seed out or you'll have it popping up all over the place next year. Try to dig down and get as much as possible of the root out of the ground too if you can.
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The other thing I forgot to mention - your tools that you use to cut and dig it out with should also be thoroughly rinsed and disinfected afterwards too, shovel blade, cutting blades and their handles, so there's no risk of transference of droplets to other things.
The other thing I forgot to mention - your tools that you use to cut and dig it out with should also be thoroughly rinsed and disinfected afterwards too, shovel blade, cutting blades and their handles, so there's no risk of transference of droplets to other things.
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*sigh*
I was afraid this would be the case. It's too much to weed.... There is 1 acre+ of this and other weed, with poison oak in between.
I might have to rent a flock of sheep some day to eat if down, then put slabs over it to choke it to death?
Were it me, I'd start with the sheep. Goats will work too.
I'd let them have at it for a complete summer.
In the fall, I'd seed with some kind of pasture mix suitable for your area. The person you rent the animals from might be able to advise you.
Another option, if it's allowed, is a controlled burn.
Or contact your county extension agent and find out whether they will offer any help. In some places, they will. You've got a pasture full of noxious weeds, and it's in everyone's best interest that it get cleaned up. And then make sure you learn how to not let it get that bad again.
Terrible skin reaction from contact with the oil, particularly in bright sunlight; can be like 2nd deg burn; some people have worse reaction than others. Oils can persist on clothes or tools as noted above.
Repeated mowing of weeds before they go to seed does a good job of eliminating it over the course of a year or three. Re-infestation can occur when seeds from neighboring properties make their way again onto yours.
I think the very first thing you should do is call your local county extension office and ask if they can send an agent to come and identify suspected noxious plants on your property and to give you advice on how to get rid of it.
Do NOT tell them you suspect that it's cow parsnip, tell them instead that you think it might be giant hogweed starting to grow and you are very worried about it and need their help. It's the law that hogweed MUST be reported to correct authorities in all jurisdictions in North America and the threat of possible hogweed growing in their county will spur them on to send an agent to investigate and ID your problem more quickly.
When they come they will give you a 100% ID on whatever you have on the property, and if they deem it a serious enough threat to other possible commercial agriculture in your vicinity or to the public they may even destroy it for you or help with the expenses of having it destroyed by professionals. It's worth a try to bring it to their attention and get whatever help you can from them before you start dipping into your own wallet to cover expenses of eradication.
If they can't help you get rid of it then make enquiries about getting permission for doing a controlled burn. I wouldn't trust it to sheep or goats to get rid of all of it entirely, I'd use animals like that as a very last resort to clean up any leftovers/escapees remaining or coming back the next year after a burn or whatever else is done first.
"Were it me, I'd start with the sheep. Goats will work too." Sheep are grazers, goats are browsers...goats are your best bet to remove/control vegetation.
"Were it me, I'd start with the sheep. Goats will work too." Sheep are grazers, goats are browsers...goats are your best bet to remove/control vegetation.
Regards
Gemstone1
Sorry what's the difference between grazer and browser? On the surface it would seem to me browse = look at something but does not take...
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