Toxic Plant Spreads Into New Jersey

A toxic plant that is spreading across the country — including New Jersey and Pennsylvania — and can cause some painful problems for people who come in contact with it.

Wild parsnip can cause blisters and a painful reaction afterward, and it can spread quickly once it's in your neighborhood, according to officials.

Wild parsnip is a biennial/perennial herb native to Eurasia. In appearance, it looks and smells quite like the cultivated parsnip family, which includes carrots, celery, parsley and parsnip, according to the Cornell University Cooperative Extension.

The plant typically can grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall, with yellow-green heads, in an average year. Wild parsnip is common throughout the northern United States and southern Canada. Its range reaches from Vermont to California and south to Louisiana.

Officials advise wearing long sleeves and rubber gloves if you see it in your yard, officials say.

Don't run over it with a lawnmower, either. That'll help it spread. Instead, dig it up with a shovel.

Cornell published a map showing where the plant can be found:

Click here to learn more about the plant and its origins.