Parsnip

Pastinaca sativa

Layer 6 · Roots
Edible companion

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Native to Eurasia, the parsnip is a biennial plant cultivated for its nutritious, sweet-flavoured root. It forms part of the root layer of the food forest, although care is required when handling the foliage in the sun due to its photoirritant sap.

See which trees parsnip grows well with

These trees share this species' soil and climate — the pairing is inferred from conditions, not from a guild we have already seen.

Cork oak

No account needed.

Needs

Water: Medium
Light: Full sun
Size: Biennial herb up to 1 m
Mature diameter: 0.4 m
Soils: Clay, Loam, Sandy
Climates: Atlantic coast, Inland / Continental, Mountain / cold

Calendar

January — Harvest
February — Harvest — Planting
March — Planting
April — Planting
May
June
July
August
September
October — Harvest
November — Harvest
December — Harvest

Harvest
Planting

Medicinal use: The root is edible and highly nutritious, although the foliage sap is phototoxic.

Where to buy

Central trees worth considering

May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.

Cork oak

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.