Mystery plant

[Jerry]

Anybody able to identify it from this photo?

[Dan Espen]

Read about it. It's very dangerous to touch Hogweed.

[Jerry]

Yes, some similarity but also significant differences, especially leaf shape and the main stem. Also, my wife has been touching it quite a bit, also tasted the leaves, with no problem.

[Jerry]

Yes, some similarity. But leaves and main stem are quite different from Hogweed. Also, color of flowers. My wife has touched in a number of times, even sampled the leaves, with no ill effects.

[Steve Peek]

Did you have parsnips there last year? They are biannual and that looks like one in its' second year about to make seed. HTH, Steve

[Billy]

[Jerry]

I do see the resemblance. But my wife recalls, when buying it 2-3 years ago= , that it was labeled as some kind of herb, possibly medicinal. Also, even = domestic parsnips come with a warning about not handling the stems and leav= es. But in this case there have not been any problems from contact.

[Steve Peek]

I do see the resemblance. But my wife recalls, when buying it 2-3 years ago, that it was labeled as some kind of herb, possibly medicinal. Also, even domestic parsnips come with a warning about not handling the stems and leaves. But in this case there have not been any problems from contact.

Then perhaps it is second year parsley. They are closely related.

[David Hare-Scott]

No not parsley. Dig down to the crown and scratch it, the size and shape is not diagnostic (it could be a rather stunted parsnip and be almost any shape) but the smell of parsnip is quite strong and characteristic.

D

[Steve Peek]

Welcome to the wide world of common names. Apparently the name parsnip is not the same across the pond. It seems that parsnip and parsley root are different things. Obviously the original poster is mistaken and the plant is parsnip or at least what we call parsnip in the US of A.