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What is Giant Hogweed?
Giant Hogweed is a non-native invasive species of plant. It was first introduced in the UK as an ornamental plant but has now naturalised in the wild.
Where is it found?
Giant Hogweed is found across UK and tends to grow near water such as by canal sides and river banks
What does it look like?
With its long stems bearing large umbrellas of white flowers, Giant Hogweed likes like an enormous Cow Parsley Plant. When it is fully grown it can reach heights between 1.5-5m with a spread of 1-2m. The white flowers appear in June and July and all the flowers face upwards. The stems are green sometimes with purple splodges and have stiff white bristly hairs.
Why is Giant Hogweed a concern?
The main concern about giant hogweed is that the sap can cause painful blistering burns that can be reactivated by sunlight and reoccur over months or even years. The sap contains a substance called furocoumarin which makes the skin extremely sensitive to sunlight. If the sap gets onto your skin, and is then exposed to sun, your skin can blister badly. This blistering can then reoccur when exposed to sunlight in the future – this is known as phytotoxicity.
How can you avoid contact with Giant Hogweed?
Teach children to avoid touching plants that they are unsure of. Sap can get onto the skin if you brush past the plant, so, if you are walking in areas where there may be Giant Hogweed (such as canal sides and river banks) consider wearing longer layers of clothing so that legs and arms are not exposed.
What should you do if your skin comes into contact with Giant Hogweed?
Wash the area with soap and water as soon as possible and keep the area covered to avoid sunlight on the area. If the skin does begin to blister you should follow the same advice as you would with a burn:
Cool the skin with cool running water for 20 minutes
Cover the burn with cling film
Treat pain with paracetamol or ibuprofen if this is safe for the individual to take
Seek advice from your GP or healthcare professional depending on severity
Maria Matthews is the owner of Mini First Aid Nottingham and Derby. Mini First Aid offers award winning First Aid training for parents/carers, classes for children, and First Aid Industry body accredited workplace training. Are you a parent or carer who wants to brush up on your First Aid skills? Why not attend one of our informal 2 hour baby and child first aid classes near you.
Visit www.minifirstaid.co.uk to find out more.
Image credits:
Blister image: Dragan Marjanovic, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hogweed Image: This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
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