Giant Hogweed

scorza

scorza

scorza

Caporegime
Joined
22 Jun 2004
Posts
26,684
Location
Deep England
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum

Just been listening to a discussion about Giant Hogweed on the radio. Apparently many of today's youngsters aren't aware of this plant and the harm it can do to people (and pets I guess). When I was at school we'd have visits from the local council environmental health warning us not to touch this plant and to report any Giant Hogweed we noticed, despite this some kids from my school a couple of years above me managed to touch some on a field trip to the Lake District and ended up in hospital.

Public service announcement: Giant Hogweed looks like Cow's Parsley, so be careful if you want to pick some Cow's Parsley for decrotaive purposes. The sap of Giant Hogweed will cause horrendous burns on skin and even blindness if it comes into contact with the eyes. Still not as dangerous as a Triffid though.
 
i'd never heard about it until last week, never seen it before in my life either or its affects till it was reported


guessing that its not common around here.
 
Cosimo is always looking out for forum members. God knows how many lives he has potentially saved due to his due diligence regarding interesting flora and fauna. Thank you Cosimo, keep posting those space vids they rock.
 
Is...is this...

THE DAY OF THE HOGWEEDS!?!

*Kelt runs far, far away!*
 
koolpc said:
I thought it was Broccoli? lol
Click to expand...

Hemlock's part of the same family. A few people have used the leaves in their sandwiches thinking it was something salad-like, or eaten the roots thinking they were parsnips.

They only did that once.
 
A friend of mine got "burned" by it a couple of years ago. The scars took months to disappear, and if he forgets to apply suncream you can see the scar tissue on his leg appear when he gets a tan.

It is activated or made worse by UV light. Really painful apparently, it feels like a burn, and takes a long time to heal.

Really nasty stuff :(
 
I had never even heard of this until i saw it in the news a few weeks ago. Definitely didn't know anything about it when I was a kid.
 
Freefaller said:
A friend of mine got "burned" by it a couple of years ago. The scars took months to disappear, and if he forgets to apply suncream you can see the scar tissue on his leg appear when he gets a tan.

It is activated or made worse by UV light. Really painful apparently, it feels like a burn, and takes a long time to heal.

Really nasty stuff :(
Click to expand...

Up to 15 years to heal in some cases. I wouldn't risk it.
It's generally found by rivers, because it can have something ridiculous like 90000 seeds on it, which float off downstream and carry on the spread, but also nowadays by roadsides.

It's the colour of the stem you want to look out for, purple speckles and coarse hairs. A solid purple or green is fine, and some other member of the plant family... but if in doubt, play it safe and don't go near the stuff.

Also the leaves are a lot more incised (raggedy) than other plants. Every part of the plant is dangerous if touched, really. 'Orrible stuff.
 
LsTPiCo.gif


Giant Hogweed Everyday
 
I went walking around Clifton County Park (near Bolton) last month.
This stuff is all over the pace round there. Like some kind of alien invasion!
Warning signs up everywhere.
 
I note that the stuff originally came from Russia, which is about right.

"In Putin's Russia, plants garden you!" /facepalm.
 
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