Are parsnip tops/greens edible?

Question

I planted parsnips last fall (live in Phoenix so our growing season is somewhat reversed) and just pulled 3 out of the garden for my pot of beans. The tops are bushy and lush. Are they edible?I'm finding conflicting answers on a Google search. Some sites say "no way" and that they are toxic. Some sites say all parts of the parsnip plant are edible, but no further info is given. Does anyone know for sure? If so, has anyone had success cooking them? 

Also, what about carrot tops?

Thanks!

Answer

Carrot tops are edible, for sure. I wouldn't touch parsnip tops with a barge pole. I've never seen parsnips (or rhubarb) sold with their leaves attached, and that's because they will make you sick if ingested..

Answer

Yes. Rumors that they are not probably originate in a confusion with a similar looking wild plant that is. Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) 

http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=9975

parsnip greens look and taste like parsley

Answer

Well I just juiced enough Parsnip green for about 10 Oz of juice. Added an apple for sweetness. The taste is a bit sharp. Just finished it and I am still alive. An hour has passed and I am still alive!

Answer

I just harvested a bunch of wild parsnip greens and I LOVE the taste of them. It is sassy, but very yummy. Parsnips evidently contain a compound that might make you sensitive to UV-rays after eating them, which is a warning I have found on several plants, so I would not worry much. As with any plants, wild or cultivated, eat limited amounts on your first try as all plants have defensive mechanisms that can provide allergic reactions. That includes the plants we buy at the store as well. I have been munching these guys since I picked them, because they are so good. Which makes me not worry so much about the warnings.

Answer

Eating the root is one thing; but, skin and or eye contact with the sap with exposure to the sunlight (UV) will cause a chemical burn; not an allergic reaction, so it is unlikely that anyone would be immune. I got a burned arm from the wild plant while mowing at our farm, so I have done some study. We've begun an eradication program of pulling the plants before it goes to seed. This seems to me to be the best information resource I've found:

http://www.healthunit.org/hazards/documents/OIPC_BMP_Wild_Parsnip.pdf 

ontario.ca/invasivespecies

 "Both the wild and cultivated forms of parsnip 
contain toxic compounds, called furanocoumarins. 
These compounds can cause serious rashes, 
burns or blisters to skin exposed to the sap 
and then sunlight. The plant poses a risk 
to agricultural workers, those involved with 
vegetation control, and to people unknowingly 
exposed to the plant in the wild. The roots of Wild 
Parsnip (non-cultivated form) may also contain 
furanocoumarins, therefore it is recommended 
that the root of this plant not be consumed."

Answer

I've never had any problems with cultivated/domestic parsnip tops. They're not easy to find as most don't make it to market. But they're great! A little tangy, a little buttery; they make a great pesto. Blanch them and squeeze some of the water out of them before you throw them into the food processor. Just like you would with Nettles.

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Are parsnip tops/greens edible?

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