# Parsnip

The parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a root vegetable. Its species belongs to the family Apiaceae (which also contains carrots and parsley). Parsnips are biennial plants and require precautions for handling the stems and foliage. Parsnip sap contains furanocoumarins that can cause skin rashes or even blindness. The parsnip species is native to Eurasia. Parsnips were cultivated by the ancient Romans and used as a sweetener. Wild parsnip plants can form dense stands which outcompete native species in North America and can proliferate in farmland, abandoned yards, and along roadsides and other disturbed environments.

## Quotes

* The parsnip, Pastinaca sativa L. (Peucedanum sativum Benth. and Hook.), is alien to the flora of Greece, but fairly common in Italy. ... Seeds of this umbellifer have been found in the dumps of Swiss and north Italian pile dwellings of the neolithic and bronze ages; ... but it is doubtful that these came from wild parsnips which were used as a food, even though they are not carbonized, ... for the root of the wild parsnip is of dubious alimentary value; and Hoops ... and L. Reinhardt ... are probably wrong in thinking that the plant was cultivated.
** Alfred C. Andrews, (July 1958)"The Parsnip as a Food in the Classical Era". Classical Philology 53 (3). DOI:10.1086/364259.
* Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa, family Apiaceae) is an important root crop in North America, Europe and Asia, being widely consumed in other parts of the world. The vegetable resembles a pale carrot, being used for human and animal nutrition and also for medicinal and therapeutic purposes. Like other crops, it is target of pests and pathogens which lead to economic losses by affecting production quantity and quality in the areas where it is cultivated. Among the viruses that infect parsnip are: parsnip yellow fleck virus, strawberry latent ringspot virus, celery mosaic virus, and parsnip mosaic virus.
** Fernanda P. Bruckner, Tarsiane M.C. Barbosa, Marcelo Eiras, and Larissa G. Zanardo, "Chapter 53 - Parsnip". Viral Diseases of Field and Horticultural Crops. 2024. pp. 443–448. (1st edition 2023; edited by L. P. Awasthi)
* BAKED PARSNIPS Scrape and cut in half lengthwise; boil till tender; put in a shallow baking-pan; put a few pieces of chopped butter or a little cooking oil on top; sprinkle lightly with sugar; pour over sufficient cream to about half cover. Salt to taste and bake a rich brown.
** Edward Guyles Fulton, Vegetarian Cook Book: Substitutes for Flesh Food. Pacific Press Publishing Company. 1904. p. 143.
* Parsnip is cultivated mainly in temperate regions worldwide and occasionally in cooler parts of the tropics, including Eastern and Southern Africa. Parsnip requires cool conditions for optimum root maturity and quality. The fleshy, aromatic and slightly mucilaginous root is eaten as a cooked or fried vegetable. Parsnip's high fibre content may help in preventing constipation and reducing cholesterol levels in blood. Parsnip, because it is a shallow rooted crop, requires higher moisture than other vegetables. Aphids, cutworms, beet armyworm, carrot rust fly and carrot weevil are the insect pests that attack parsnip during growing season. Parsnip canker, powdery mildew, downy mildew, cavity spot and damping-off are the diseases that attack parsnip during its lifetime.
** M. K. Rana and V. P. S. Panghal, "Chapter 108. Parsnip". Vegetable Crop Science. CRC Press. 2017. pp. 975–982. chapter abstract ISBN 978-1-1380-3521-8 edited by M. K. Rana
* Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa L.) is a European biennial weed that has spread through many parts of North America and the world. Though it is often not classified as a noxious weed, it is generally considered a nuisance as it can dominate plant communities and displace beneficial forages. Wild parsnip and similar cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum) have been sporadically associated with photosensitization of livestock and humans (Walling and Walling, 2018; Kriazheva et al., 1991; Zobel and Brown, 1991; Montgomery et al., 1987).
** Bryan L. Stegelmeier, Steven M. Colegate, Edward L. Knoppel, Kerry A. Rood, and Mark G. Collett, (September 2019)"Wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa)-induced photosensitization". Toxicon 167: 60–66.
* Parsnips are lamentably underappreciated, but they are by far the tastiest of winter vegetables, so sweet and deep-flavored, and so versatile. And how to describe their flavor? Like a carrot crossed with squash, with chestnut undertones, and with a perfume unique to parsnips.
** David Tanis, (October 30, 2015)"Parsnips Take Center Stage". The New York Times. (with link to “Recipe: Parsnip Gratin With Turmeric and Cumin”)

## External links

* Encyclopedic article on Parsnip on Wikipedia
* (November 10, 2024)"Easy Roast Parsnips Crispy, Golden, and Delicious". Backyard Chef, YouTube.
* Wild Parsnip. Minnesota Department of Agriculture.