Giant Hogweed. DO NOT TOUCH

[MarkB]

How about that, a plant that can make you wish it was only poison ivy.

Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantagazzianum)
What's the harm?

Warning!!! Do not touch this plant! Giant hogweed poses a serious human health hazard because it exudes a clear watery sap containing photosensitizing agents. Skin contact with the sap, combined with exposure to sunlight, can cause severe burns and blistering.

Giant hogweed also poses ecological impacts by forming tall, dense, and deeply shaded stands that inhibit growth of native species. Soil surfaces under giant hogweed stands become bare and more readily erode in the winter months.

What is it?

Giant hogweed is a large perennial herb in the carrot and parsnip family, typically six to nine feet (occasionally to 15 feet!) tall. The stem is hollow, two to four inches in diameter, with dark reddish-purple spots and bristles. The leaves are deeply incised and may grow to a width of up to five feet. Flowers are white and clustered into a large, compound umbel up to two and a half feet wide. Similar species include cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum), angelica (Angelica venosa), and poison hemlock (Conium maculatum).



http://www.vainvasivespecies.org/species/giant-hogweed

[Diamond State Boy]

Just read about this being discovered in northern Virginia. Sap also can cause blindness. Yikes!

[Scott]

Interesting to say the least and not symptoms I've heard of before. Is this a non-native plant that is becoming established? If so where?

We do most of our dumping in the mountains about 4,000 feet. At those elevations we don't have to be concerned with poison oak, nettles, blackberries or other thorny plants that can make your life miserable. There are wasps and mosquitoes and a few other biting/stinging bugs (no ticks) but even they are not too bad most of the time. Something like this could be a real game changer.

[jinsequa]

Interesting to say the least and not symptoms I've heard of before. Is this a non-native plant that is becoming established? If so where?

We do most of our dumping in the mountains about 4,000 feet. At those elevations we don't have to be concerned with poison oak, nettles, blackberries or other thorny plants that can make your life miserable. There are wasps and mosquitoes and a few other biting/stinging bugs (no ticks) but even they are not too bad most of the time. Something like this could be a real game changer.

Yes, you have to worry about Hogweed. Of all 50 states, Oregon and Washington is where you are most likely to run into it. Imported from the Caucusus Mountains via Britain to New York in 1917. Nasty stuff, never cut it down, always spray it with Roundup. Effects last for months. I have run into it in the Willamette Valley, the Coast Range and in the Cascades. Pretty recognizable plant...kind of looks like Queen Anne's Lace.....but the huge leaves give it away.

Eric

[MI-Cans]

Found pics showing size comparisons. Second pic has mountains in background.

(MI-Cans)

[pinnacle-project]

That gives a completely different perspective. That stuff gets huge.

[Longopener]

We have it here in Michigan.

[Leon]

We have it here in Michigan.

Do we, It don't look familiar. Unless i've seen smaller baby version? LEON.

[bantam10]

Yes it’s in Michigan. My dad seen it once while I was dumping. I never got near it though. This was 2012.

[MI-Cans]

It is on the Invasive Species list in Michigan. While not a crisis, it is listed and prohibited from introduction. Here's link:

https://www.michigan.gov/invasives/0,56 ... --,00.html

(MI-Cans)

Click to enlarge.