The U.S. Department of Agriculture has put this plant near the top of its Federal Noxious Weed list. Officials in Washington are asking residents to be on the lookout for it so they can eradicate it. In New York a hotline has been set up so residents can easily report sightings, and crews in several states are seeking it out and destroying it. To date it has been reported in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington and Vermont.
The plant is the giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum), originally from central Asia. Since its discovery it has spread all over the world, because as a specimen plant it is a knockout. White flowers nearly 3 feet in diameter bloom on top of stalks that can reach 15 feet tall. The tropical looking compound leaves grow 3-5 feet across and up to 9 feet long on purple spotted stalks. People naturally want to touch it because it is so unusual, and that is what makes this plant is so dangerous.
The plant’s clear, watery sap works with moisture and sunlight in a reaction called phytophotodermatitis. People coming into contact with the sap develop large, painful blisters that resemble severe sunburn. Some have had to be hospitalized for intravenous antibiotics and cortisone injections and have taken a month or more to heal. Once the blisters heal, scars resembling cigarette burns remain. Children who have used the hollow stems as pea shooters have developed painful blisters around their mouths, and others who have used them as telescopes have been permanently blinded by the burning sap.
Doug Cygan, Invasive Species Coordinator with the NH State Department of Agriculture says, “It’s by far the worst plant pest when it comes to human health.” In New Hampshire, state officials have begun surveying and mapping sites where giant hogweed grows. So far it has been found in Grafton, Sullivan and Rockingham Counties, with unconfirmed reports of four injuries from the sap.
Officials warn those who think they’ve found a giant hogweed plant to stay away from it, keep pets and livestock from grazing on it, and make sure children and pets don’t play around it. There are reports of people getting burned by playing with cats and dogs who’ve gotten the sap on their fur.
NH residents who suspect they have found giant hogweed should call the Cooperative Extension’s Family, Home & Garden Education Center’s Info Line at 1-877-398-4769, Monday-Friday, 9 AM -2 PM, prepared to describe the plant and its location. All parts of the plant contain toxic sap, and it is recommended that people do not touch the plant while trying to identify it. Instead, wait for confirmation from a state inspector. For more information and photos, click here.
Resources include the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Service, the State of New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
NOTE: I’m getting asked repeatedly where folks should report their giant hogweed sightings. It’s important that you contact the extension service or department of agriculture in your state. To find that information simply go to Google or any other search engine and type “Reporting giant hogweed in XXXXXXXX” where XXXXXXXX is the name of your state. Once you do this you’ll find a wealth of information, including photos and how to identify this plant. More often than not I’m told, what people are seeing is cow parsnip or another look alike. Please do your homework and try your best to make an accurate identification before contacting the authorities in your state.
There is a good deal of confusion, please take a look a this article for more information:
http://www.durhamregion.com/news-story/5742725-wild-parsnip-cow-parsnip-giant-hogweed-can-you-identify-them-and-which-is-most-toxic-/
Thank you.
Reblogged this on Sharon's Natural Gardens and commented:
definately need to stop this plant in its tracks
Thank you.
I will share this info about this dangerous weed ty for posting it.
Thank you.
Reblogged this on My Strange Life.
Thank you.
does this grow in Florida or have there been any sightings of it???
I don’t know. As I said in the post, just go to Google and type “Reporting giant hogweed in Florida.”
Sorry if this was mentioned, but HOW did it get here? Was it being sold as an ornamental plant? If so, has that practice stopped?? Perhaps a National Garden club organization could send this to ALL their people and spread the word. County extension offices, etc.
There is a wealth of information including the answer to your question here: http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/ghfactnyseagrant.pdf
Please post a picture of it when it is small, just starting to grow.
I’m sorry Carol but I don’t have any photos of it. You can easily find one on line by going to Google and typing “giant hogweed.”
I have this in my yard in Guilford,CT
It was in my back yard in east haven ct
Thank you Sandra.
Just saw this plant in Manchester CT. It is adjacent to the Chili’s parking lot .
Thank you.
Thank you so much for the post. . .very informative. The more people are informed about noxious weeds the fewer incidents of contact there will be. Maybe this should be taught in schools as well. Kids retain this info very well and sometimes even teach their parents a thing or two.
Thank you Phyl, that’s not a bad idea.
Better contact information would be helpful. I’m in WA and it looks like we may have found some in an area lots of people with pets and children travel. It would be great to have an email link to send a picture to.
Dana,
At the top of the page on this blog there is a tab labeled “Contact Me.” You can use it to send me an email, but you’d really be better off sending the photo to your local extension service or department of Agriculture. They will identify the plant and then eradicate it if it is indeed giant hogweed. If I lived in Washington, I’d start here: http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/detail.asp?weed=62
This stuff is everywhere. I’m in Alaska, and I got into a patch of this stuff several years, in the rain. My jeans were wet, which just exacerbates the effects of the stuff. I literally had a rash for years before I finally got rid of it. And Cow Parsley is a related plant.
I’m sorry to hear that, Don. I hope others reading this will take heed and stay away from that plant.
Here in mid Vermont roadsides overflowing with this weed. Way too overwhelming for any individual to eradicate unless there is some Way to get rid of The mass infestation’s that I haven’t heard about Do you know of such a way ?
Most states don’t want the public to do anything with it. They want them to call the local extension service or agricultural department and let them take care of it. There is a website called Vermont Invasives which might help. You can find it here: http://www.vtinvasives.org/invaders/giant-hogweed
I live in Central VT and have seen Gaint Hogweed in my area for 20-25 years. Learned its dangers first hand the hardway. Really started to expand on a bank too close to my home. Had some people from the state come and look at it, but didn’t hear much back from them. Tried the digging up method as read and taking precautions but didn’t have that much time and felt very dangerous. Started using Bonide BK32 about 5-10 years ago with much success. It is for broad leaf plants but does not kill grass. Follow the instruction 4oz to 1 gal of water and use a hand pump pressure sprayer. 2 times a year and you will be impressed. I used it for 2 years and now only have a few small plants to treat every few years.
Where in central Vt was it spotted
I work as an invasive plant coordinator in the white river valley watershed and would like this info for surveying records
It would be helpful to have a picture from every stage of growth, seedlings up… They resemble tomatoes at first… In a garden that uses compost, it can be tricky to identify. Thank you.
Thank you Kim. I agree, but this post was meant to introduce people to the fact that giant hogweed exists, and that was all. To do in depth botanical explanation of every stage of growth would take far longer than I have. My thought was that once people knew about giant hogweed they could just Google it and find out all they wanted to know. There are many thousands of photos and articles about it out there. Simply type “Giant Hogweed” into any search engine and you’ll find out all you want to know.
Reblogged this on The Bitchy Mama and commented:
“All parts of the plant contain toxic sap, and it is recommended that people do not touch the plant while trying to identify it.”
“To date it has been reported in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington and Vermont.”
Thank you.
Thank YOU!
Can’t you give us some better pictures of the plant?
I’m sorry Karl but I don’t have any better pictures. If you go to Google, Bing, or any other search engine and type “Giant Hogweed” you can see many thousands of photos of it.
Here’s a great site for identifying it and telling it apart from Cow Parsnip
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/72766.html
Thanks very much Laura.
Is there a number or a department I need to call for Massahcusetts? I just found this in my yard! 😫
Hi Lindsey,
You’ll want to make sure that it is indeed giant hogweed, and if it is you can report it here: http://massnrc.org/pests/hogweedreport.aspx
There is a good fact sheet which will help you identify it here: http://massnrc.org/pests/pestFAQsheets/hogweed.html
Remember: DO NOT TOUCH THE PLANT.
Scary, very scary plant. Wonder if there is an anaflactic issue?
That’s a great question Constance, but unfortunately I can’t answer it. There might be a lot more information about the plant than there was when I did this post.
Reblogged this on Brand Fearless ~ Kim Fleck and commented:
Be cautious of giant hogweed friends.
Thank you.
Reblogged this on Seaside Garden Club.
Thanks very much for the re-blog.
The click here link for more information doesn’t work.
The poison parsnip that Julie mentioned is also very dangerous. My husband used a weed wacker to clear an area on the edge of our field on a very hot day. He was shirtless due to the heat and became covered with little bits thrown by the weeder. Later big blisters appeared all over his chest and back as if he’d been whipped. He was sick for days.
Thank you Lois, for letting us know. I’ve also seen that happen with poison ivy.
Very good post. I believe that cow parsley may look a great deal like this hogweed, also.
Thank you. Yes, cow parsley does resemble hogweed, but I’ve heard that hogweed is much bigger.
Who is selling these plants? These plants need to prevented from spreading.
I don’t think anyone is selling them. I think they are spreading naturally by birds and animals eating the seeds. Here is New Hampshire the State Department of Agriculture is doing all it can to keep them from spreading.
This is unacceptable. Someone needs to reason with these animals to stop causing mayhem to the environment.
I’m not sure which animals you’re talking about Jen, but as far as I know animals have little to do with the spread of Giant Hogweed.
I believe I have see this in my yard and on the side of the road on my street.. I have never see it prior to this year.. I would love to get a picture tot he right person to confirm.. I live in Dunbarton NH
Hi Mandy,
This is taken directly from the UNH Cooperative Extension website:
People who suspect they might have seen giant hogweed should call the Cooperative Extension’s Family, Home & Garden Education Center’s Info Line, 1-877-398-4769, Monday-Friday, 9 AM -2 PM, prepared to describe the plant and its location. People who have already made a positive identification should notify Doug Cygan of the NHDAMF at 271-3488. Cygan suggests that people not touch the plant while trying to identify it and await a state inspector before deciding on a control strategy.
You could also call the state department of agriculture at (603) 271-3551. They will be involved eventually anyway.
Thank you for this — and the link to the Wash State info and images. Much appreciated. We have had some large new sports this summer, and I’ve seen them in quite a few places, but not the Giant Hogweed. White, Aster-like flowers, not like Hogweed or Queen Anne’s Lace, over 6 feet tall. Took them out before they went to seed.
No ill effects.
You’re welcome. I’m glad that you’re not seeing giant hogweed! I’ve heard that it was found in Marlow but I’m not sure how true it is.
I’m not sure what the aster like flowers could be unless they are actually asters. Some of them can get quite tall. The only other one I can think of is fleabane but the flowers are quite small.
I saw some in a ditch just the other day!
But here’s a thing: Our previous home was bordered on one side by a large stream, and on its banks were these huge, beautiful white flowers. I wanted to dig them up and bring them into the garden. I’m so glad I didn’t, because I read a few years later that these things are dangerous.
Good on you for letting your readers know. So beautiful and so dangerous, eh?
Yes, and fortunately that post has gotten more views than any other and several towns link to it on their websites, so word is getting around. I’m glad you didn’t dig that plant up!
Me too.
Glad your post is getting around.
Good to know!!! Thanks for the post!
You’re welcome!
I found one of these in my backyard. It grew to six feet in the last two weeks, perhaps due to all the rain. My son sent the photos to the UNH Cooperative Extension. They loved the photos and deemed it to most likely be Giant Hogweed. I live in Claremont, and don’t believe I’ve ever seen anything like it. I did notice the sap to be white in color, not clear. I followed their advice. The plant is now removed and headed for the incinerator.
Thanks for letting the rest of us know, Victor.It seems to be getting closer to keene all the time.
Giant hogweed
I believe I have one of these plants in my flower bed. I there an email address to which I can send photographs for verification?
You’ll have to send them to your state agricultural department.
email: douglas.cygan@agr.nh.gov
Thank you Deb!
I actually live in mass …but I chimed in earlier with the link on how to differentiate from queen annes mainly because that’s what I think it looks like.. even in writing this article you are doing a good thing by getting the info out there and making it topic of convo . awareness is the first step in taking control of this invasive and dangerous plant
You’re welcome Samantha. Glad to help.
in case anyone is interested here is a link to a place showing the differences in hogweed and queen Anne’s lace http://www.hort.uconn.edu/cipwg/hogweedLookalikes/HogweedLookAlike_WEB/QAL.htm
Thank you!
you’re welcome thank you! This article encouraged me to find that link so I can show my 7 yr old a little better what not to touch
Do you think you could post a bigger picture of what this looks like? I am afraid to Google “giant hogweed” at work.
If you read the comment by Samantha, she has posted a good link to get you there.
AHA, I thought its characteristics sounded like what we have here in Illinois, another parsnip. Poison parsnip, Pastinaca sativa, and twice in my life I have encountered it accidentally. It too leaves scars that lasted for several years on my hide before fading. However, it doesn’t get as large, and its flowers are yellow. My husband related a story from his mid-teen years, of a two boy sword fight with, yes, poison parsnip stalks. The other boy, shirtless, ended up in the ER.
The following is an article and a tiny bit from it:
http://sites.middlebury.edu/middland/2010/06/23/poison-parsnip/
The poison comes from a chemical in the plant sap called psoralen, which reacts with the human skin to cause (ready for this?) phytophotodermatitis. In a nutshell, the sap reacts with UV sunlight, and causes mild to in some cases quite severe burns. I’ll speak from experience here-a mild case can cause red skin, like a steam burn from your tea kettle. I had full second degree burns on all exposed parts of my legs one year, blisters from shorts to socks.
So, I just wondered, what OTHER plants might cause the same problem and here’s a website…its surprising:
http://www.dermnetnz.org/reactions/photocontact-dermatitis.html
Thanks for the links Julie. It’s very interesting information. I’ve never heard of poison parsnip-it sounds every bit as bad as giant hogweed.
Hi, I live in Deerfield NH & I have a bunch of new bushes/weeds that have grown this spring. They have white flowers on them & are pretty. I can’t tell if they are the ones in the picture. Do they have thorns on the branches/stems?
No, these plants dont have thorns. If you Google Giant Hogweed you’ll find some excellent descriptions.
Phew! Thank you 🙂
You’re welcome!
It DOES have “bristle like hairs” on the stocks.
What happens to this plant during the winter months? I am so sure I saw this plant last year (summer-ish time). It was so HUGE and eye catching, I remember thinking that it was some freakishly-morph’ed jungle plant. I saw it along side the road which also has a run off stream along side it. When driving by today, I tried to keep my eye out for it but I didn’t see it. I wondered if the green foliage died off in the cold months.
I would be interested in any info you have!
This plant is a short lived perennial, meaning that it’s foliage dies down in the fall after a frost or two, but then it re-grows in spring. Short lived means that it lives less then 10 years, so you might have seen the end of life for that plant, or it might not have come up yet. In any case, where there is one there are usually more, so I’d bet there are more in that area.
really serious, need to know where they found it in CT so far.
You’ll have to check with your local State Department of Agriculture. I have no way of knowing this.
What area’s in Maine should we be on the look-out for? Furthermore, who are our contacts to handle eradication?
In Maine they ask that you call the Maine Department of Agriculture Division of Plant Industry at (207) 287-3891 Here is a web site with Giant Hogweed information for Maine: http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/horticulture/documents/ghcontrolbrochure.pdf
Here is information about locations of confirmed cases of Giant Hogweed in Maine: http://www.maine.gov/agriculture/horticulture/GiantHogweedDistribution.htm
I have tried to contact our local department of agriculture about the growth of the hogweed along the road into Somerset dam. There is a huge infestation of it along the road and who knows where else. Just read your article about it maybe you folks could help eradicate it over there thank you
I don’t think one state would be able to eradicate it in another state JoAnne.
I’m assuming that you’re in Vermont. If so, here is a list of everyone who works for the Vermont Department of Agriculture. http://www.vermontagriculture.com/about/contacts.html
As you scroll down the list take note of the consumer protection specialists. There are 4 of them and their phone numbers and e-mail addresses are listed.
Do you have more detailed photos of the plant at different stages of growth for identification? I think I’ve seen it often as its so unusual – starts out looking like a dandelion? Thanks!
This site in Washington state has some good photos and other information. http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/animalsAndPlants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/giant-hogweed.aspx
Excellent! Thank you! Exactly what I was hoping to find!
You’re welcome. I hope you haven’t seen this plant!
Cow Parsnip is not the same as Giant Hogweed, but it is similar.
That’s what I was saying about common names-they can apply to just about anything. It would have been more accurate to say Giant cow parsnip. This is a good illustration of why using the scientific name is so important.
Is there no better name for it than ‘giant hogweed’ ? That was the only name indication in the article, and as it has not be capitalized in any place – well, it’s a bit confusing. What is the true name, and does it have any aliases?
When buying or researching plants you should always go by the scientific name so you are sure of what you have. This plant’s common name is giant hogweed, but it also goes by cow parsley, wild parsnip, wild rhubarb, cow parsnip, and many others. Its scientific name is Heracleum mantegazzianum, which I stated at the start of the second paragraph. If you find this plant you should use the scientific name-not the common name-when reporting your find.
i think it had clear concise info which may well prove very valuable as this plant gains more of a stronghold in NH
Thank you. I hope that it doesn’t!