It can cause rashes, third-degree burns, and it can grow up to 15' tall. It's called Giant Hogweed, and you do not want to touch it.
The Nature Conservancy of Canada says it has been spreading across Canada and the U.S. It is prevalent in British Columbia, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. Over the past few years, it has become a larger problem in Ontario with sightings stretching from Manitoulin Island to Ottawa, but there it has been spotted close to home too; in Lambton County.
With summer here, the conservancy is warning residents to be on the lookout for it.
"It's really a towering green plant, but at the top, it has clusters of white, umbrella-shaped flowers," says Spokesman, Andrew Holland. He says it looks very similar to its smaller, benign cousin Cow Parsnip, also known as Queen Anne's Lace.
Holland says if you find it around your home, or cottage call a professional to remove it. He calls it a health hazard.
"The plant isn't what's dangerous. It's the clear sap, and you get that on your skin, and if you're exposed to sunlight, you can get really strong rashes and blisters and third-degree burns. Potentially temporary or permanent blindness," he says.
Holland also advises property owners to upload the "INaturalist" app. Not only can it help you correctly identify the plant, but the app is also used by scientists to track where it is spreading.
He says the Giant Hogweed is an invasive species originally from East Europe and Asia. It was brought to North America for use as an ornamental plant, but it is not very good for your garden either.
"It's a perennial, and it seeds," Holland says. "It can grow so tall that it out-competes native vegetation, native trees and causes erosion around rivers and streams, so it's not a good thing."
