Dog walker’s giant hogweed warning
Plant can cause serious burns and blisters
A dog walker in Dunblane is warning people to be on the alert for dangerous hogweed plants as they start to sprout in the area.
Giant hogweed can grow up to five metres high and cause serious burns and blisters if it comes into contact with the skin.
While volunteers, who clear the plants in Dunblane have made a considerable impact in the town in recent years, the public are still being warned to be aware.
Gemma Beher said she has already spotted some hogweed growing in areas where she walks her dog.
“There are plants throughout Laighill now, not just alongside the river, but in the midst of walking areas and fields,” she added. “I also noticed some along the public footpath through Pont Crescent, with plants now extending to the paved road area and even several home owner’ drives. I chatted to one lady who lives there with young children and she hadn’t even realised what the plants were. I just want to highlight that people need to be more aware of what they look like.”
Dunblane Community Council chairman Terence O’Byrne has been heavily involved with the group of volunteers led by Roy Sexton and Bill Jack who have helped to bring some control over the spread of the plant in recent years. Forth Fisheries provide the chemicals and suits needed.
He said: “The message to get out is that folk should NOT handle the plants without their skin being covered and their eyes protected.
“They should not go around bashing plants they see, they are in danger of getting the sap (which is dangerous stuff) on their skin. If they do get any sap on their skin they need to wash it off immediately.”
Mr O’Byrne added that he had already been out and about over the past four weeks spraying plants, including some of the areas highlighted by Gemma, but that it takes at least three weeks for them to show signs of death after being sprayed and he would be revisiting some of the areas to check.
“The seeds of the plants last at least 10 years in the soil,” said Terence. “I have been spraying the Laighills for four years. In that time very few plants have seeded so what is seen there are the results of the seed banks in the ground. There are literally millions of them. Last year I sprayed about 10 acres of ground, not all in the Laighills, which took about 60 hours of actual spray time with 70 full loads of a back pack sprayer. The plants people may notice can only really grow in areas previously affected. This year they may notice more as the dry weather seems to encourage them to germinate from seed.”