The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Hazards of Hogweed
Exposure to invasive weed can cause serious rashes, blisters
By now, everyone knows summertime isn’t just about fun in the sun. It’s a potential minefield, littered with such hazards as ticks, mosquitoes, poison ivy and sunburns.
But there’s another summer scourge that people around here are just starting to be aware of — giant hogweed.
Growing up to 15 feet tall, hogweed is a noxious, invasive weed, and exposure to its sap can lead to painful blisters — think of a nasty, overthetop version of a poison ivy rash.
“The sap is very injurious if you get it on your skin,” said Jatinder Aulakh, associate weed scientist with the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. “It’s a really serious health concern.”
Giant hogweed is a nonnative plant from Eurasia that was first identified in Connecticut in 2001, according to a release put out last year by the University of Connecticut’s Invasive Plant Working Group. The United States Department of Agriculture states that the plant was first introduced to the United States in 1917 as an ornamental plant.
In a survey done in 2011, the UConn group learned thattheweedhadbeen found in 25 towns in all eight of the state’s counties. Places where the plant has been seen include Trumbull, Wilton, Greenwich and New Milford.
The UConn group stated in its release that many of those plant populations were under control as of last year. However, Aulakh said he predicts hogweed will continue to spread.
“It’s just like other invasive weeds, in that we’re going to see it in more towns,” he said.
Though he said he hadn’t done extensive research on giant hogweed, it’s possible that climate change could
In a survey done in 2011, the UConn group learned that the weed had been found in 25 towns in all eight of the state’s counties.
aid in its spread.
“All the weeds are going to benefit from increased rain and more high temperatures,” Aulakh said.
The state is now in the thick of giant hogweed season, as the plant typically blooms in July.
Its leaves are often 5 feet long, and the hollow stems of the plant are 2 to 4 inches in diameter. Giant hogweed produces large numbers of small white flowers on an umbrellashaped head that can grow up to 2 1/2 feet across.
Many plants can be mistaken for giant hogweed, including cow parsnip, which is a member of the same family. However, experts said if people even think they see giant hogweed, they should contact the UConn Invasive Plant Working Group and not try to remove it themselves, as that could lead to serious injury.
The plant’s sap causes blisters largely by making skin more sensitive to sunlight. In effect, experts said, it can work as sort of “antisunscreen,” increasing the impact of the sun’s rays. It can also cause visual impairment or even blindness if the sap comes into contact with the eyes.
But at least one local doctor said Connecticut residents shouldn’t be too worried about giant hogweed.
“I have never — at least knowingly — seen a giant hogweed burn,” said Michael Werdmann, an emergency physician with Bridgeport Hospital. Werdmann said he’s also asked other doctors in the region if they have seen any injuries related to giant hogweed, and he came up empty.
That doesn’t mean people shouldn’t keep an eye out for this potentially dangerous weed, and report if they see it, Werdmann said.
“I think this is one of those things where you should be aware of it, but you probably don’t need to be too worried,” he said.
People who think they see giant hogweed should report it to the University of Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group at https://cipwg.uconn.edu/ reportgianthogweed/ or info@cipwg.org.