Parsnip

A parsnip is a root vegetable.

It has cream colored skin. The root grows deep in the dirt.

In the first year, it has green leaves. In the second year, it grows a tall stem. This stem has small yellow flowers.

After the flowers, it makes flat brown seeds. The seeds have small wings.

Cold weather makes the root taste sweet. This happens after the first frost.

You can eat the root raw. Most people like to cook it.

It is a tasty treat!

A parsnip is a root vegetable. It is a relative of the carrot and parsley.

People grow them for their long, cream-colored roots. These roots grow best in deep soil without stones.

Parsnips are biennial plants. This means they have a two-year life cycle. In the first year, the plant grows green leaves. In the second year, it grows a tall, woody stem. This stem holds a cluster of small yellow flowers called an umbel.

After flowering, the plant makes flat, brown seeds with small wings.

The roots taste very sweet. This happens after the first winter frost. The cold changes the starch in the root into sugar. You can eat parsnips raw or cooked.

They are full of vitamins and minerals like potassium.

Be careful with wild parsnips. All parts of the plant can cause a skin rash in the sun. They can even hurt your eyes. In North America, they can grow like weeds in yards and near roads.

The parsnip is a tasty root vegetable. It belongs to a plant family called Apiaceae. This family also includes carrots and parsley.

People grow them for their long, cream-colored roots. These roots are very sweet. The flavor gets even sweeter after a winter frost. This cold weather turns starch into sugar. You can eat them raw or cooked. They are full of vitamins and minerals like potassium.

Parsnips have a special way they work. They are biennial plants. This means they live for two years. In the first year, the plant grows a rosette of green leaves. These leaves have jagged edges. In the second year, a tall stem grows up. This stem can grow very tall. It holds a cluster of small yellow flowers. This flower shape is called an umbel.

Later, the plant makes flat, brown seeds with wings.

Humans have used parsnips for a very long time. They are native to Eurasia. The Romans grew them a long time ago. In those days, people sometimes mixed up parsnips and carrots. Before sugar was common in Europe, people used parsnips as a sweetener. European settlers brought them to the Americas. In the mid-1800s, people started growing potatoes more often. This meant parsnips were not grown as much for a while.

One famous parsnip was made in England. In 1859, James Buckman created a type called 'Student'. He worked at the Royal Agricultural College. He used selective breeding to improve the plant. He crossed cultivated plants with wild ones. This new variety became very popular in the late 1800s.

Today, many different types of parsnips exist. Some are long and thin. Others are more bulbous or round. Food makers like the round ones because they do not break easily.

You should be careful if you see wild parsnips. They can grow in yards and near roads in North America. All parts of the plant contain something called furanocoumarins. This can cause a skin rash when the plant touches your skin and the sun. It can even cause blisters. Contact with the eyes can be very dangerous. It is best to stay away from them in the wild. They can also be attacked by pests like the carrot fly. These bugs can hurt the roots or the leaves.

The parsnip, known scientifically as *Pastinaca sativa*, is a root vegetable within the Apiaceae family. This botanical family also includes common plants like carrots and parsley.

Parsnips are primarily grown for their large, fleshy, cream-colored taproots. These roots serve as a significant source of nutrition for humans. They contain various vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, particularly potassium. The roots also provide both soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Because they are rich in starch, they have historically served as a food source.

Parsnips follow a specific biological life cycle known as a biennial cycle. This means the plant requires two years to complete its full life process. In the first growing season, the plant develops an apical meristem. This part produces a rosette of pinnate, mid-green leaves. These leaves often have toothed margins and a somewhat hairy texture. They can grow quite long, with some being stemless and others having short stems. If the plant is left in the ground, it enters its second year. During this time, a tall, woody flowering stem emerges. This stem is hollow except at the nodes and can grow to more than 1 meter tall.

The reproductive stage of the parsnip involves a specific flower structure called an umbel. This is a loose, compound arrangement of small yellow flowers. Each umbel consists of six to 25 straight pedicels, which are small stalks. These stalks support smaller clusters known as umbellets. The flowers themselves are quite small, featuring five yellow petals that curl inward. They also contain five stamens and one pistil. After pollination, the plant produces fruits called schizocarps. These fruits are oval, flat, and light brown in color. They possess narrow wings and short, spreading styles to assist in dispersal.

Human history with the parsnip is very deep and spans many centuries. The plant is native to Eurasia and has been used since antiquity. Roman cultivators grew parsnips, though ancient literature sometimes confuses them with carrots. In fact, the Latin term *pastinaca* was used for both vegetables. Before cane sugar became widely available in Europe, parsnips were used as a sweetener. European settlers eventually introduced the plant to the Americas. However, by the mid-19th century, the potato replaced the parsnip as a primary starch source. This shift caused parsnip cultivation to decrease for a period of time.

Significant advancements in parsnip breeding occurred in the 19th century. In 1859, James Buckman developed a new cultivar named 'Student' in England. He worked at the Royal Agricultural College using a method called selective breeding. Buckman back-crossed cultivated plants with wild stock to improve the crop. This experiment was highly successful and made 'Student' a major variety. Today, different shapes of parsnips exist depending on the cultivar. Many are narrowly conical, but some are more bulbous. Food processors often prefer the bulbous varieties because they are more resistant to breakage.

While useful as food, wild parsnip can pose serious health risks. All parts of the plant contain chemical compounds called furanocoumarins. These chemicals can sensitize mammalian tissue to sunlight. If the plant touches your skin and you are exposed to the sun, it can cause photodermatitis. This condition results in skin rashes or even painful blisters. Contact with the eyes is even more severe and can potentially cause blindness. In North America, wild parsnip can become invasive. It forms dense stands in abandoned yards and roadsides, outcompeting native plant species.

Cultivating parsnips requires specific environmental conditions to be successful. They grow best in deep, sandy, or loamy soil that is free of stones. Stony or heavy clay ground often results in short, forked roots. Farmers often plant seeds in early spring when the ground is fine. A unique chemical change occurs when the plant experiences its first frost. Low temperatures cause the starches in the root to convert into sugars. This process makes the parsnip taste much sweeter.

Farmers must also protect the crop from various biological threats. Insects like the carrot fly can burrow into the roots, creating entry points for disease. The parsnip moth can also damage the flowers and seeds by building webs on the umbels. Fungal diseases are another major concern for growers. Parsnip canker can cause black or orange-brown patches on the root crown. Other fungi can cause watery soft rot or violet root rot. Additionally, several viruses, such as the parsnip yellow fleck virus, can infect the plant and cause yellowing of the leaves.