What Is Giant Hogweed? Invasive Plant That Causes 3rd-degree Burns, Blindness Spotted in Virginia

By Edward Leano, Christian Post Contributor Monday, June 18, 2018

Virginia residents have been warned by state officials to be on alert for an invasive plant that has made its way to the region, with a few clusters discovered on Tuesday, June 12. Giant hogweed, with its distinct umbrella-like cap of white flowers, can cause severe burns, blisters, and permanent blindness owing to its highly toxic sap.

"If you have never heard of Giant Hogweed, you're not alone! But, Giant Hogweed makes Poison Ivy look like a walk in the park. Contact with this plant, combine with exposure to the sun, can produce 3rd degree burns and permanent blindness," the Isle of Wight Country in the northern part of Virginia warned residents on Wednesday, June 13.

At least 30 giant hogweed plants have already been spotted growing in Clarke County, located between Winchester and Leesburg, as identified by the Virginia Tech Massey Herbarium earlier last week.

The clear, watery sap of the plant is very toxic, and contact with the skin will quickly erode its protection against sunlight. The effect has been compared to a "very bad sunburn," according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

Blisters, painful burns and severe phototoxic reaction sets in as soon as 15 minutes after contact, and the worse effects manifest themselves around half an hour to two hours after exposure. Heat and sweat seem to worsen the skin reaction as well.

The scars from the painful blisters that form can become "dark and pigmented" and can last up to six years, as the New York Department of Environmental Conservation warns via a series of graphic photos.

It can also cause long-term sensitivity to sunlight, and blindness is a likely result if the sap gets into the eyes.

Residents are warned not to touch the plant with bare skin and to avoid contact with gloves and clothes that have touched the plants. Weed whackers, brush cutters or other implements that may scatter the sap are to be avoided as well.