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A walk among wild plants and beautiful flowers is one of the things most people enjoy. Sometimes, however, it can happen that you are left with very unpleasant consequences. This plant poses a great danger to everyone and, unfortunately, is beginning to spread very quickly across our countryside.
Dangerous beauty
It is the so-called giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). At first glance it is a very pretty, white-flowering plant that appears completely harmless. The opposite is true. One touch of this plant’s sap can cause serious burns, and even lead to blindness. This plant can reach up to 4.5 metres and its dark green leaves can be up to 1.5 metres in diameter. It has a thick hollow stem with white flowers and small purple spots.
Although you may be tempted to touch it, it is better not to. The plant produces a sap that contains furanocoumarins. This sap makes the plant very sensitive to light and helps it grow. When it hits the skin, the skin becomes extremely sensitive to sunlight. It can cause dark, painful blisters that usually appear within 48 hours and subsequently form scars that can take years to heal. The sap can also cause permanent blindness if it gets into your eyes.
How to treat skin and eyes
If you accidentally come into contact with this fluid, rinse it off immediately with cold water and protect the affected area from the sun. Apply sunscreen to the skin immediately if you are forced to stay outside, and apply compresses soaked in a mixture of water and acetic acid. If the sap gets into your eyes, rinse them immediately with cold water and wear sunglasses.
In view of the above, we recommend avoiding the plant altogether. If it is growing in your garden, it is advisable to get rid of it urgently. You will, however, certainly need sturdy protective gloves and goggles to do so. Do not put such a plant on the compost or anywhere else where other people might have access to it. Rather burn it. You can also inform the relevant authorities about its occurrence, as it is in the public interest to eliminate the plant’s presence.
