Coming into contact with hogweed can cause very painful and unsightly wounds. Fortunately, more and more people are aware of the dangers of this plant, but many problems with hogweed still occur. Especially with children who have never heard of the plant. What do you need to know about the risks, treatment and prevention of trouble with hogweed?
Two kinds
There are two types of hogweed: the common hogweed and the giant hogweed. It is especially the second one that is the most dangerous. The common hogweed normally grows to a height of about 90 to 150 cm. However, its big brother can grow up to about four meters. And that can happen very quickly. In a good spring, the plant can grow several meters high in just a few months. That is also why you often find them in neglected areas. Because no one cares about it, the plants are given free rein. You have to be careful, especially when children can go to such places.
Where does the name come from?
The hogweed stands out because of its large leaves. These leaves are, as it were, hairy. It is also these leaves that give the plant its name. They look a bit like claws. The effect of contact with the plant is also in line with the name: It is better to stay away from it. When the plant blooms, white flowers appear. The plant normally lives for two years. This remains quite small in the first year. About 50 centimeters. In the following year the plant can become very large. Then he dies.
The plant did not originally occur in the Netherlands, but was brought here from the former Soviet Union. This is because of the appearance of the plant. Over the years, however, the hogweed has become natural and is now found in many places. In addition to the normal garden, you can now often find it along highways, railway lines and in neglected parks, forests and gardens. In many ways you can think of it as a weed: the plant grows quickly at the expense of other plants and flowers nearby.
Why is hogweed dangerous?
The hogweed is notorious for the nasty injuries you can suffer from the plant. Unfortunately, there are still many people who do not know this and get hurt as a result. In that sense, the hogweed is also an exception in the Dutch flora. Merely coming into contact with the leaves of the plant is enough to cause painful injuries. Something that we are not used to in the nature around us and therefore often goes wrong. The plant itself is not poisonous, but the sap has a phototoxic effect. This means that the skin becomes very sensitive to sunlight after contact with the juice.
Real burns and swelling
If you come into contact with the sap of the hogweed on your skin, it can cause ugly and painful wounds. This is due to the so-called furocoumarins that occur in it. This juice makes your skin extremely sensitive to sunlight. This is so bad that you get burns from the sunlight. This also means that the injuries will be much worse in nice sunny weather than in cloudy or even rainy weather. If you ever come into contact with the hogweed, it is also useful to immediately cover those parts of your skin from the sun.
The consequences of the injuries
The annoying thing about hogweed is that it takes up to 24 hours before you start to feel the first symptoms. These are red burning spots on the places where you have come into contact with the plant. After a few hours, the spots will become more painful and swell or even blister. The skin is inflamed and the wounds will be clearly defined. It then takes a relatively long time before you are healed again. And it often happens that grayish pigment spots remain. These pigment spots can remain visible for years.
How do you treat a hogweed wound?
The best treatment is to immediately wash the skin where there has been contact with the plant. Don’t be too frugal and be sure to err on the side of caution. You can simply wash it with soap and water. You should also avoid contact with direct sunlight for a week. Once you have the dreaded blisters and burns, treat them as if they were regular burns. You can use the well-known burn ointment for this and bandage the wounds. And if in doubt, just consult your doctor. If your eyes have come into contact, you should rinse your eyes thoroughly.
Preventing wounds
Prevention is better than cure and this certainly applies to the injuries you can sustain from a hogweed. If you are going to do garden work near a hogweed, make sure you are properly dressed. Make sure all skin is well covered and be very careful. It is best to protect your eyes with safety glasses.
Children and the hogweed
Children still have to learn everything, so that’s where things often go wrong with hogweed. Most children are adventurous and often seek out the craziest places. Pieces of no man’s land with lots of vegetation are particularly interesting. Unfortunately, you often find this dangerous plant there too. That is why it is important to introduce your children to the plant. Fortunately, the appearance is easily recognizable. Make sure your children know the plant and avoid touching it. This can prevent a lot of misery.
Tidy and tidy
If you know where you can find hogweed somewhere nearby, see if there is something that can be done about it. Remove the plant, or have it removed. For example, by the municipality, when it is on municipal land. If the plant is on someone else’s property and that location is easily accessible, you can kindly ask if the plants can be removed from there.
