Wild parsnip is blooming again around Borderland. The invasive species seems to be spreading each year with fields of the plant seen in International Falls, and in ditches and even yards. The sap, or juice, of this plant, found when it is cut or bent, is toxic. If the juice contacts the skin and reacts with sunlight, it can cause severe rashes and burns. This condition is known as phytophotodermatitis, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website. Wild Parsnip (Pastinaca sativa) is a tall (six inches – four feet) perennial herbaceous plant. It spends the first year as a small rosette (six inches tall) and can grow up to four feet in its flowering stage. Wild parsnip has broad, flat-topped yellow flowers which bloom throughout the summer months. This plant is native to Europe and Asia. Because the roots are edible, it was brought to the United States and planted as a food source. It escaped cultivation and is now a widespread invasive plant across the United States.