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- A member of the Federal Noxious Weeds list, giant hogweed produces a toxic sap that can cause severe skin irritation—including blistering that leads to permanent scarring—and even blindness if the sap comes into contact with your eyes.
www.atlasobscura.com/articles/found-a-plant-that-can-make-you-blind
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Aug 6, 2015 · A giant hogweed—a white-flowered plant that has the power to cause blindness in humans—has been found growing beside a road in Calhoun County, southwest Michigan.
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May 22, 2024 · Giant Hogweed can cause massive blisters and ulcers if it touches skin and can also cause blindness if it comes into contact with the eyes. This is everything you need to know about Giant Hogweed.
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The striking plant was brought to North America to decorate gardens and arboretums, but now officials are working to wipe it out.
If you see it growing in your garden, don't touch it.
The 15-foot-tall invasive plant locally known as hogweed (Heracleum mantagazzianum) was recently spotted for the first time in Virginia. Experts and locals are on high alert because the notorious plant produces a dangerous, clear sap that can cause third-degree burns, severe blisters, and permanent blindness.
The plant has previously been identified in more northern regions in Canada, the Pacific Northwest, and the northeastern U.S., and now officials in Virginia are monitoring the region to see if it takes hold there, too.
The plant's dangers didn't stop enthusiastic gardeners from bringing it to North America over a century ago. Before it was classified as a noxious weed in several states, it was cultivated as an ornamental garden plant. Native to regions bordering the Black Sea like Russia and Georgia, hogweed spread to the rest of Europe and North America in the 19th and 20th centuries when it was transported by collectors entranced by its unique beauty.
“It really is a spectacular plant. It's very Dr. Seuss-ian,” says Kevin Heffernan, a stewardship biologist with Virginia's Department of Conservation and Research.
He speculates the plant's allure is how it got to Virginia in the first place.
The plant was found in a home garden kept by hobby gardeners. Experts think it may have been growing for the past 40 years when it was first planted by the home's original owners. It was the the current owners who began to suspect the notorious weed was in their own backyard and sent photos to horticulturists at Virginia Tech, who confirmed the species. Forty years ago, buying and planting hogweed was legal, but today, Virginia classifies it as a noxious weed, meaning it's regulated by the state and can't be bought or sold.
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Just brushing against the plant won't lead to severe reactions. The plant's sap contains a chemical called furocoumarins, and when it mixes with sunlight, it causes a phototoxic reaction on skin called phytophotodermatitis. Permanent blindness can occur if the sap gets in your eyes.
Symptoms develop and worsen over several days before healing and leaving a lasting sensitivity to sunlight.
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John Reganold of Washington State University stands by a deep road cut in eastern Washington’s Palouse region, examining the exposed layers of ancient soil.
John Reganold of Washington State University stands by a deep road cut in eastern Washington’s Palouse region, examining the exposed layers of ancient soil.
Photograph by Jim Richardson, Nat Geo Image Collection
The plant can impact native species, too. The tall, hardy plant has a wide, upturned top that shades the forest beneath it. This can prevent native undergrowth from taking hold and leads to more unstable soil that erodes more easily during winter.
Jul 5, 2024 · “If the sap gets into the eyes, it can cause blindness.” Safe to say, if you’ve realised you have giant hogweed growing on your property, keep yourself, your pets and any visitors well away from it.
Jul 2, 2018 · The nasty effects of touching a giant hogweed — its sap can scar, burn and blind if you come in contact with it — have inspired frightening headlines after the recent discovery of the first...
Jun 18, 2018 · The plant grows in the wild and touching it can cause third-degree burns and even blindness. Giant hogweed was recently spotted in Virginia for the first time and may also grow in other...
Jul 16, 2018 · It may sound like a monster, but this scary beast is actually giant hogweed, a towering, invasive plant whose sap can cause painful burns, scarring, and possibly even blindness.
