Dangerous giant hogweed plant discovered in Stouffville

YorkRegion.com
July 27, 2017
Simon Martin

Giant hogweed has been discovered in some areas of Whitchurch-Stouffville.

Town staff said it is important to take caution if you come across this plant, as contact can pose serious health threats.

Giant hogweed is an invasive plant species that grows up to five-meters tall. The stems of the plant are marked with reddish-purple spots with small, stiff hairs sticking out.

Its leaves are large and deeply cut with sharp edges, reaching about one meter in length.

The plant is most commonly identified by its white, umbrella-shaped bunches of flowers.

If the stem, leaves or plant hairs break, they produce a clear, toxic sap. If contacted, the sap can cause severe inflammation of the skin.

Contaminated skin exposed to ultraviolet rays may have reactions such as burns, blistering, painful sores and scars. If sap contacts eyes, there is a risk of temporary or permanent blindness.

“Do not try removing this plant on your own,” Dave Chatwell, municipal bylaw enforcement officer for the town, said. “If you spot giant hogweed on your property, we highly recommend you advise the town and contact a local lawn care and vegetation company so that they can remove and dispose of the plant safely.”

Giant hogweed is typically found along roadsides, ditches and streams.

It invades fields and native habitats, such as open woodlands.