It ’s vast , it ’s highly dangerous , and it ’s propagate . The giant hogweed ( Heracleum mantegazzianum ) contains a erosive blackjack that causes stern efflorescence , third - degree burn , and even lasting blindness if you get the light-sensitive chemical on your skin or in your eyes , Science Alertreports .
The noxious , invasive grass was just identify in Clarke County , Virginia , near the Massey Herbarium at Virginia Tech . That brings the telephone number of state it ’s beenspottedin to 11 , including Washington , Oregon , Illinois , Michigan , North Carolina , Pennsylvania , New York , Connecticut , Massachusetts , and Maine . Beyond the U.S. , it has rent root all over the world , from the UK to Iceland to Australia .
like to the common but slenderly less dangerouscow parsnip , elephantine cow parsnip is native to Central Asia and was firstbrought to North Americain the early nineties as an cosmetic works , its unique shape earn it popular among gardeners . But it shortly became invasive : Once it ’s establish in an area , it can take up to five years to eradicate a colony .
Now the plant life is considered a public wellness headache . Hogweed can cause a chemical reaction known asphytophotodermatitiswhen it comes into contact with cutis that is subsequently exposed to UV rays — but the effects of hogweed are much more severe . A afflictive blister can develop within hour and last for months ; the exposed skin can remain sensitive to sun for years even after the blister mend .
Hogweed can be unmanageable to distinguish from the moo-cow parsnip , and the plant is often misidentified . First , moderate for tallness : Hogweeds are typically taller than 8 understructure , while moo-cow Pastinaca sativa be given to be 5 to 8 feet tall . Hogweed stem are light-green with purplish specks and uncouth white hairs , while parsnip stems are immature with fine white hairs . For more peak and photos , check out the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’sguide .
If you see a plant you conceive might be a elephantine hogweed , take a few photos and send them to your commonwealth ’s section of agriculture to describe — and whatever you do , do n’t touch it .
[ h / tScience Alert ]
