What's this?

Noticed it on the river bank today.
It's like giant rhubarb, but it's over 3 metre's high:eek:

 

This I think gort
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC4-iYlyJiQ

 

Heracleum? Are the leaves sort of velvety? 3 m sounds too big for heracleum lanatum, but you never know...

I hope it is not Heracleum giganteum, I think that is dreadfully toxic toxic. Jusl look and no touching seems safer

 

It's like the day of the triffids.

 

dunno,bud, I did'nt get that close

 

It is definitely Giant Cow Parsley or more commonly know as Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)a particularly nasty plant to get on your hands...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Hogweed

 

Can anybody tell me if H. giganteum and H. mantegazzianum are two different things or synonims?

 

Two different plants :thumb:

 

Thanks! I could not get the hang of it!