SEASONAL OUTDOOR SERVICES
Transforming Spaces from the Ground Up
GIANT HOGWEED
WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
The giant hogweeds were introduced into Britain, Ireland and Europe from the Caucasus Mountains in the nineteenth century. The earliest documented reference to their introduction has been traced is from the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Seed List of 1817 where giant hogweed, under the name of Heracleum giganteum was listed among seeds supplied to Kew by the Russian Gorenki Botanic Gardens. They were soon introduced into the horticultural trade and being aesthetically impressive plants,
were widely planted in ornamental gardens throughout UK and Ireland.
Unfortunately they quickly escaped from cultivation with the first naturalised (‘wild’) population recorded in Cambridgeshire in 1828, and are now widely naturalised as invasive species throughout much of UK, Ireland and Europe.
WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
The sap of Giant Hogweed contains toxic chemicals known as furanocoumarins.
When these come into contact with the skin, and in the presence of sunlight, they cause a condition called phyto-photodermatitis: a reddening of the skin, often followed by severe burns and blistering.
The burns can last for several months and even once they have died down the skin can remain sensitive to light for many years.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH IT?
Immediately cover the skin with a sterile covering which will block out any sunlight and seek medical assistance.
Our teams can safely treat and remove giant hogweed to prevent any injury.