Hog What! The Perils of Hogweed©

 

 

Giant hogweed, heracleum mantegazzianum, is cow parsnip’s bigger, badder cousin and it packs a great big wallop!

 

Just like cow parsnip, the sap of the giant hogweed contains phototoxic furanocoumarins (fyur-a-no-coo-MAR-inz), which will cause phytophotodermatitis and burns, when UV rays from the Sun, touch any skin that has come into contact the sap (for more on furanocoumarins, read Cow Parsnip...Watch Out!©, HERE).  What is worse, according to the New York State DEC, is that even after the burns heal, your skin can be discolored, and you can have an increased sensitivity to sunlight, which can last for years!

 

So, how do you know if the white flowering plant that you see is the invasive (originally native to central Asia) giant hogweed, which has now spread to much of Europe and parts of North America, or if it is just cow parsnip?

 

First off, it is giant!  Hogweed grows to between 15 to 20 feet (4.5 to 6 meters) tall, cow parsnip is only 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.5 meters) tall.  Also hogweed has purple splotches on the stem, which cow parsnip doesn’t have.

 

If you do see this plant, stay away from it, take pictures and contact the environmental authorities in your area, so that they can come and safely destroy it, before it spreads.

 

For more information on Giant Hogweed, click HERE and HERE.

 

I hope that you continue to enjoy The Woodsman’s Journal Online and look for me on YouTube at BandanaMan Productions for other related videos, HERE.  Don’t forget to follow me on both The Woodsman’s Journal Online, HERE, and subscribe to BandanaMan Productions on YouTube.  If you have questions, as always, feel free to leave a comment on either site.  I announce new articles on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on Instagram at bandanamanaproductions, and on VK at Eric Reynolds, so watch for me.

 

That is all for now, and as always, until next time, Happy Trails!

 

Sources

 

 

Brunning, Andy; “The chemistry of Giant Hogweed and how it causes skin burns”, August 3, 2017, [© 2024 Andy Brunning / Compound Interest], https://www.compoundchem.com/2017/08/03/gianthogweed/, accessed June 7, 2023

 

Cornell Weed Identification; “Cow Parsnip”, [©2024 Cornell University], https://blogs.cornell.edu/weedid/cow-parsnip/#:~:text=This%20can%20affect%20sensitive%20individuals,for%20at%20least%2048%20hours, accessed June 8, 2024

 

LaFrance, Paul; “Hikers beware: Cow parsnip can inflict pain on those who don't take precautions”, Anchorage Dailey News, June 16, 2016 (Updated: June 30, 2016), https://www.adn.com/adventure/outdoors/2016/06/16/hikers-beware-cow-parsnip-can-inflict-pain-on-those-who-dont-take-precautions/, accessed June 7, 2024

 

New York Invasive Species Information; “Giant Hogweed”, [© New York Invasive Species Information 2024], https://nyis.info/invasive_species/giant-hogweed/, accessed June 15, 2024

 

NYS DEC; “Cow Parsnip” https://dec.ny.gov/nature/animals-fish-plants/cow-parsnip#:~:text=Cow%20parsnip%20is%20not%20considered,from%20sunlight%20for%2048%20hours, accessed June 7, 2024

 

Polly, “Steer Clear of Dangerous Plant That Causes Painful Burns & Permanent Scars”, [© 2024 Big Frog 104, Townsquare Media, Inc], https://bigfrog104.com/steer-clear-of-dangerous-plant-that-causes-painful-burns-permanent-scars/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral, accessed June 14, 2024

 

Read More: Steer Clear of Dangerous Plant That Causes Painful Burns & Scars | https://bigfrog104.com/steer-clear-of-dangerous-plant-that-causes-painful-burns-permanent-scars/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral"

USDA; “common cowparsnip”, https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=HEMA80, accessed June 7, 2024