‘Stay away’ garden pro warns over common summer plant that’s mistaken for pretty flower – and it can seriously hurt kids
WITH the weather finally warming up, you might be tempted to get outdoors with the kids.
But one gardening whizz has warned families to stay away from a common summer plant, which can leave your little ones seriously hurt.
If you aren’t familiar with what Giant Hogweed looks like, you should probably make a mental note before you head out on your next walk because it’s popping up everywhere.
What is Giant Hogweed?
Giant Hogweed is a notoriously dangerous plant which is becoming increasingly common in the UK.
The danger with Giant Hogweed is not poisoning, but the sap can react with the skin and cause blistering and burning.
Where did Giant Hogweed come from?
Giant Hogweed was brought to the UK in the 19th century as an ornamental plant.
It quickly escaped those gardens, and you can know find it alongside rivers, amongst wasteland, on railways and lining public footpaths – never far away from a fresh water source.
Giant Hogweed is listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act in England and Wales.
This means that it’s not an offence to grow it in your garden, but it is an offence to plant it in the wild or let it escape from your garden into the wild.
What does Giant Hogweed look like?
A plant can grow to between 1.5 to 5m and has very spiky leaves and a green stem, with purple speckles and very fine, white hairs.
It also produces flowers in the summer months and can be mistaken for the harmless plant of Cow’s Parsley.
Spring
The plant is relatively low-lying, perhaps a metre tall but widespread.
It’s leaves are large, green and spiky.
Summer
As summer approaches, taller stems will start shooting up out of the leaves, and white flowers will start to form in the shape of an umbrella.
What do the expert’s say?
Green-fingered influencer Dave The Plant Man had an urgent warning for anyone who comes across Giant Hogweed.
On hisTikTok account, the gardening expert told fans: “It grows like a big Cow’s Parsely with a big head but the sap.
“[If] you get it on your skin and then you get sunlight on it, it brings you out in blisters.”
He added: “I’ve had reported that people have had children fall into these plants and they come up with really big blisters…they’ve been hospitalised for weeks.”
How to protect yourself from Giant Hogweed?
If you live in an area that has Giant Hogweed, there are some suprisingly simple steps you can take to avoid injury.
- Avoid contact with any plants that you are unfamiliar with.
- Cover up by wearing long sleeved t-shirts and long trousers.
- Keep young children and pets close-by and be vigilant at all times.
Giant hogweed burns and how to deal with them
Giant hogweed sap is found inside the leaves and stalks and can cause burns.
The sap contains toxic chemicals called furanocoumarins.
When the toxic chemicals come into contact with the skin, it causes a reaction.
This reaction actually damages your DNA and changes the way your skin protects itself from ultraviolet (UV) light.
This means your skin isn’t able to protect itself properly from the sun.
If the skin gets exposed to sunlight, it causes a severe burn.
This chemical reaction can happen as quickly as 15 minutes after getting the sap on your skin.
Redness and burn blisters can develop about 48 hours after exposed skin is in sunlight.
The severity of the burn depends on how long you’re in the sun.
It can damage more than skin. If the sap gets in your eyes, giant hogweed can cause temporary or permanent blindness.
Breathing in sap particles from the air can cause respiratory problems.
What to do if you touch hogweed sap:
- Wash the area with mild soap and cool water as soon as you can.
- Keep the skin covered when you’re outside to protect it from sunlight. The faster you’re able to wash off the sap, the less possible damage it can cause.
- If a rash or blisters start to form, get medical attention.