Wild Parsnip & Hogweed

[mike4lorie]

Wild Parsnip and Hogweed are two very dangerous weeds. Not knowing about 6 years ago I pulling weeds from some of our gardens. While I was doing this, I was getting very sweaty, so I would rub my neck. Next couple of days, my neck began to get very itchy. Well I had all these smallish blisters on my neck. As they got itchier, I would scratch more, open up the sores, and began rubbing my left elbow. I have been covered at my neck, back of head (bald) and arm area in these blisters. After a while, well months (being a man) I went to the doctors.

He gave me some creams, which didn't even touch it. Back to the doctors, and we tried this, and we tried that, and NOTHING. He then sent me to a dermentoligist (skin doctor) and she looked at it, and prescribed this cream to me. Cleared it up instantly. Well when I ran out of creame, it came back twice as bad. It's extremely itchy, drive a person nuts.

So, what I am saying here is PLEASE be very careful in your gardens...

Wild Parsnip

Hogweed

 

[treeguy64]

This is a better picture of hogweed. In the tree biz, we keep up to date on potential hazards in the field, as we sometimes do removals in forested areas. This plant can cause permanent blindness, as well as the itching the op experienced.

 

[Keesha]

Isn’t this interesting. Apparently Giant Hogweed and cow parsnip come from the carrot family.
I had no idea these plants could grow so big, were so invasive or were irritating to the skin.
Recently I’ve discovered that picking a plant off our property causes pain and numbness. I think it could be stinging nettle but am not sure. I know that each and every year I manage to get small patches here and there of poison ivy. Even if I avoid the plant like the plague, unfortunately my dogs don’t.

Thank you for the info. It’s very helpful and interesting.