Giant Hog Weed???

Just seen a huge one on the way home. My husband wants to bring some seed home, but I seem to remember something quite horrid about it though not sure what it was.

So whats its problem?

 

They seed around like mad, are (I believe) a Ministry of Agriculture notifiable weed, and can cause horrible sun-reactive sap burns apparently. The story goes goes that kids like to make pea shooters, telescopes, etc from the long straight hollow stems on a sunny day, put them to their mouthsor eyes and, hey presto, disfiguring sap burns that blister and scar. I don't know if it's true. It is also an offence under the Wildlife and Counrtyside Act to plant or otherwise cause it to grow in the wild. Given that you like on a river bank - it's primary distribution route, I would avoid it like the plague!

Why not plant Peucedanum verticillare instead?

 

oouuu err - tell me about it!

We just planted a gunnera - lost the first one. Martin just liked the huge wild look of the Hog weed, I knew it caused skin disieas and yes thats it the pea shooters - I heard that too.

 

Giant hogweed is a magnificent plant introduced into Victorian gardens about 200 years ago. It can grow up to 12 feet tall, but likes wet places.



Then in the 1970's everyone got hysterical because some children, using the hollow stems for pea shooters, got blisters around their mouths. Then the press made up a story about "triffids" and the wonderful plants were attacked and destroyed. The truth is that the sap can react with strong sunlight and cause irritation or blisters on sensitive skins. However, you can get much worse from ordinary hogweed, water parsnips and other plants. Hemlock will kill you and so will monkshood and many, many other wild plants. Are we going to destroy them all? Better by far to teach children (and adults) something about which plants are safe and which aren't. Children soon learn about nettle stings! Did you read about the recent case where a whole row of yew trees were destroyed just in case the kids ate the berries (the berries are NOT poisonous but the seeds and leaves are) Ignorance is the real enemy - not the Giant Hogweed

 

But Hornbeam it does get distributed by water, and Waco does live on a river bank. I agree it is spectacular, I have also considered growing it, and I know H&S, ODPM, and the legal profession are more rampant pests than any plant could ever be, but is it a plant to perhaps avoid where it isn't entirely necessary?

 

I'm with Hornbeam on this, people do over-react these days far too much about anything that might be a bit dangerous, I think brambles should be banned, nasty things.
Although I do see your point jasid.

 

It is simply too big for most gardens. The thing is that giant hogweed grew happily in gardens for 150 years before all the fuss in the 1970's. If I had a huge, damp garden I'd grow it.

 

Well I just did my time trying to get rid of Indian Balsalm which nearly engulfed the whole village, so I understand where jazid comming from, however I grow yew, monkshead, aconite (sorry I think the same thing) and agree about responsibility level.

I would probably grow the hog weed if I thought I was not going to infect whole village, but will have to think about it.

and then there is ragwort - our local MP John Greenway got some kind of new law about banning it - what a laugh, all that time and expense getting the new law passed and not one takes the slightest bit of notice.

Unless you keep a horse, no one cares anyway, all that wast of debating time!

Oh sorry I have somewhat strayed.

 

Daft innit! If I was to list every poisonous plant I would need to copy out the entire RHS encyclopaedia. Plants produce toxins to protect themselves from being eaten. We have learned that in small amounts they can cure various ills, but in large amounts they will kill. Foxglove (Digitalis) is extrememly poisonous, but also provides a famous drug for heart conditions.

Will the H&S Gestapo ban foxgloves?

 

Ja! And anything else with seeds that might spread without government edict.

 

I would love to see a giant hog weed ...I think they are awesome..what hornbeam said is true their are many plants in the garden that can poison you...monkshood..is another which can cause a lot of harm yet people have it because its attractive..a lot of plants can also give skin irritations ..The hog weed is just the same as angelica really it seeds freely...so all you do is remove what you dont require...

 

Wildflower is so right! "Awesome" is the only word to describe the Giant Hogweed. It has real presence and you feel that they are looking at you. Much as I deplored the press reoprts of "Triffids", there is something about them and you can almost expect them to rattle their stems and walk. My photo was taken by an abandoned warehouse on the banks of a canal in London. A week later they had been slashed down and burnt.

 

The one I have seen is growing at the side of a country lane as a single specimin. It could look very good on my stream bed, so I will keep an eye on seeds. I am sur eif you dead head before seeds given chance to spread it could be controlled, it has not got away from the lane where I have seen it oh and I do love the drama of it all.

 

waco you are very lucky to see one ..could you post a picture of it??if you do collect a seed then you will only have to pop it in the soil and it will grow easily its like angelica..its really exciting someone finding a hogweed...

 

I have a feeling the old boy I used to ride with told me they were there.

Martin is going to collect seed, won't be able to take picture till she has dropped her pups - I am still housebound.

Problem is - supposing someone cuts it down before I get seed now, could I hedge my bets and take a little seed green in the hope it matures? I am all psyched up to doing it now.