This plant is called giant hogweed, and the buds are pretty white flowers that give it a completely innocuous appearance. Make no mistake, folks, to touch this plant!
Children are at risk, because they’re more curious.
They should be teaching that in classrooms. In North America, there are only 10 plants (excluding fungi) that children need to learn to avoid. So sad that children aren’t taught basic things like this or how poisonous oak looks like.
Related: Making Raw Apple Cider Vinegar at Home
The giant hogweed, though part of the Carrot family, can grow up to 14 feet tall, and has a deadly toxic sap!
By accident, if you brush up against this plant, break the stem or touch any of its sap that may already be on it, you will get powerful blisters! The stem is quite tall so it’s very easy to do and this applies to every part of your body skin! The stems are green with purple patches and are a bit hairy, filled with white hair so you get an idea of what to avoid.
What Will It Do To You?
When you come into contact with the sap of the plant, you should anticipate extreme blistering, potential blindness if coming into contact with your eyes and potential burning of the third degree. Such results derive from the kind of chemicals it contains. When these chemicals come into contact with human skin they increase the sensitivity to light of the skins dramatically.
This can cause extremely painful and developing blisters within about 48 hours, which can last from anywhere from a few months to six years. When the sap gets in the eye, it can cause LONG TERM sensitivity to light.
What to Do If You Or Your Child Come In Contact With It?
Of course, the best prevention is to avoid it!
But if you come into contact with the plant you should immediately wash with cold water, as the toxic reaction will begin within 15 minutes of contact and get the heck out of the heat.
If you are in an outdoor situation with no way to get indoors for a while, apply sunblock/sunscreen on the affected area.
If the same sap enters your skin, rinse and make sure it’s all out of sight. Then wear sunglasses to lower sensitivity.
Looking at the hands in the first photo you’ll see a picture of a 10-year-old girl contaminated with this fungus. As you can see in the photo the blisters are huge, and the rest of her hand is swollen.
The little girl is from Scotland but don’t worry, the plant also grows in the United States and Canada.
There have been public warnings recently about the plant and the serious problems caused by coming in contact with it. Sightings of the plant are reported in New York, Maryland , Virginia, Oregon, Ohio, Washington, Pennsylvania, Michigan and many other states.
Related: Amazing Remedy that Reduces Fatty Deposits in Arteries and Lowers Cholesterol
How to Get Rid Of This Pest
Well, conventional wisdom would say cut it down and perhaps spray it some weed killer. Think again, this might just spread seeds and create a couple more toxic plants. You may also be exposed to the toxic sap, which is the full cause of fear of this plant.
If this plant is close to your home or on your land, the best advice is to call the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hotline – 1-800-424-8802 or your individual state agency to remove this plant as it is on many countries’ radars and is considered a pest.
