Parsnip

The parsnip ("Pastinaca sativa") is a root vegetable.
The parsnip is native to Eurasia; it has been used as a vegetable since antiquity. It was cultivated by the Romans. It was used as a sweetener before the arrival in Europe of cane sugar.
The plant is closely related to carrot and parsley; all belong to the family Apiaceae. Its long, tuberous root has cream-colored skin and flesh. Left in the ground to mature, it becomes sweeter in flavor after winter frosts.