NY State Department of Health Warning - Dangerous Weeds

[WinterWarlock]

Last week when I was out I saw quite a bit of this, and didn't know what it was...now I do.

Apparently one of the state inspector's is in the hospital because of the severe burns he received from Giant Hogweed...clearly the best advice is to stay away.

[Dick]

Scott, where were you when you saw it?

Dick

[WinterWarlock]

Scott, where were you when you saw it?

Dick

Rochester area...which makes sense, because the note I received came from the Finger Lakes Trail Council...
It was while I was hiking the HiTor trail down near Naples.

[Wldrns]

Note there a couple of other very similar invasive plants to watch out for. They are the cow parsnip and the wild parsnip. They look somewhat like hogweed but not as large. I've noticed ever increasing amounts growing along roadsides over the past few years. All will produce itchy blisters that can last for weeks. Never, but never ever weed whack these darn things... the skin corrosive juice will land all over any exposed flesh and you will severely regret it. This I know first hand.

[WinterWarlock]

Note there a couple of other very similar invasive plants to watch out for. They are the cow parsnip and the wild parsnip. They look somewhat like hogweed but not as large. I've noticed ever increasing amounts growing along roadsides over the past few years. All will produce itchy blisters that can last for weeks. Never, but never ever weed whack these darn things... the skin corrosive juice will land all over any exposed flesh and you will severely regret it. This I know first hand.

Sorry to hear that you know it so well - I saw some of the pictures on the hogweed sites and the injuries look like third degree burns! This stuff looks pretty nasty!

[timetohike]

Wow...I thought it was just a giant wild carrot (also known as "Queen Anne's lace") - we used to boil the roots of it when I was a kid. good think I didn't try making a carrot cake out of the giant stuff.

[Lute Hawkins]

Hmmmm...I may need to up-and-get me some of this stuff...use it as a border to keep neighboring kids off my property...

[DuctTape]

Wow...I thought it was just a giant wild carrot (also known as "Queen Anne's lace") - we used to boil the roots of it when I was a kid. good think I didn't try making a carrot cake out of the giant stuff.

I think queen annes lace is a different plant. this giant hogweed is huge.

[WinterWarlock]

Queen Anne's Lace is actually related to celery (Apiacia family) so you could be right TTH...

Some people develop a reaction to sunlight after brushing up against QAL, but this stuff here is worse than stinging nettles.

[St.Regis]

I've seen giant hogweed in two places in CNY. It's gone now.

[looncry]

Does anyone have a aloe plant? My MS pt. uses it on superficial wounds and claims it heals them faster than manufactured products. any thoughts? Looncry

[sp_nyp]

My sis in law has one (aloe plant) and it worked well on a burn I received last year. very soothing.

[St.Regis]

Does anyone have a aloe plant? My MS pt. uses it on superficial wounds and claims it heals them faster than manufactured products. any thoughts? Looncry

I think fresh aloe is awesome - not only for wounds/burns, but for general skin care as well. Calling it a miracle plant really isn't saying too much .

[Mattjt21]

Pure Vanilla Extract is also good for burns

[SpinmanADK]

Giant Hogweed

This stuff is nasty. Genesis even wrote a song about it in the 70's called Return of the Giant Hogweed:

Turn and run!
Nothing can stop them,
Around every river and canal their power is growing.
Stamp them out!
We must destroy them,
They infiltrate each city with their thick dark warning odour.

They are invincible,
They seem immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Long ago in the russian hills,
A victorian explorer found the regal hogweed by a marsh,
He captured it and brought it home.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
He came home to london,
And made a present of the hogweed to the royal gardens at kew.

Waste no time!
They are approaching.
Hurry now, we must protect ourselves and find some shelter
Strike by night!
They are defenceless.
They all need the sun to photosensitize their venom.

Still theyre invincible,
Still theyre immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Fashionable country gentlemen had some cultivated wild gardens,
In which they innocently planted the giant hogweed throughout the land.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
Soon they escaped, spreading their seed,
Preparing for an onslaught, threatening the human race.

The dance of the giant hogweed

Mighty hogweed is avenged.
Human bodies soon will know our anger.
Kill them with your hogweed hairs
Heracleum mantegazziani

Giant hogweed lives

A Classic - Gosh they were weird back then!