Parsnips are native to Europe and Asia and were used by the ancient Greeks and Romans for medicinal and food purposes. Parsnips were introduced into North America in the early 1600's and were grown by early colonists and Indians.
Parsnips are biennial, but are grown commercially as an annual.
The edible portion is the enlarged fleshy taproot. Parsnips are grown only on a limited commercial scale in Canada. Approximately 120 ha of parsnips are produced annually in Ontario with most of the production in the Bradford, Cookstown regions. Although a majority of Ontario-grown parsnips are marketed within the province, some are also shipped into eastern Canada. Only a few parsnip cultivars are available commercially.