The plant is quickly growing into the stuff of nightmares—no pun intended.
Giant hogweed has invaded the midwest, blinding and burning those who come into contact with its toxic seeds. It already conquered portions of Europe and England.
“It’s a big deal, from my perspective, because it’s a prohibited species that’s not yet widespread,” said Kelly Kearns, a conservation biologist with the Department of Natural Resources. “When we find the plant, we try to get it under control.”
It can grow to between 8 and 20 feet tall and can withstand everything from below zero to 95-degree temperatures, Seeker reports. Hogweed’s size enables it to spew thousands of seeds into the wind, and it’s capable of expanding its range by as much as a square mile each year, according to a U.S. Forest Service dossier on the plant.
“I just want to make people aware of hogweed and what it can do—it’s been so traumatic—even the doctors didn’t know what it was straight away,” Samantha Lambert said. Her son suffered severe burns from the plant.
“I’ve heard of cases where children have been hospitalized after coming into contact with hogweed because they were that seriously blistered,” she said. “Luckily for us it’s just been his hands and arms, but if he’d been in his shorts and t-shirt it could have been much worse.
“As a parent it was so alarming that I didn’t know what this plant was or the dangers it posed.”
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