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Naturally Battle the Toxic Hogweed Plant

The Hogweed plant, a large, toxic weed, has made its way down from Canada and has begun to infiltrate the United States.

Producing anywhere from 100,000 to 500,000 seeds each growing season, it is no wonder that this plant is spreading so quickly.

But what does this mean for us, exactly?

• When Plants Attack: The Dangers of the Hogweed
• Identifying this Toxic Plant
• Fight Back With a Natural Herbicide

When Plants Attack: The Dangers of the Hogweed

As silly as it may sound, this plant is seriously dangerous. Not only does it invade gardens, stealing valuable nutrients from your plants, it also has damaging effects on humans.

Merely brushing up against this giant plant may cause a painful rash and blisters to appear on skin. If not treated immediately, the Hogweed “burn” may cause permanent scarring and serious skin irritation.

The sap of the plant, combined with heat and sunlight, is what causes the skin irritation.

But even more frightening is the fact that this plant may also cause blindness. If the sap gets into your eye, it will burn the same way it does on the skin, eventually leading to a loss of vision.

Scary, right?

Identifying this Toxic Plant

So how do you know if you have this dangerous plant on your property?

Look for the following:

• A huge, fast growing plant. Giant Hogweed grows quickly, and has been known to reach heights of almost 20 feet!
• Colorful stems. The Hogweed plant is best known for purple blotches on its stem.
• Big leaves, which often reach up to 5 feet in length.
• Large white flowers, which resemble Queen Anne’s Lace. These flowers bloom from mid-June to mid-July. Each flower may grow up to 2 feet in diameter.

If you do in fact have a Giant Hogweed on your property, do not touch it, and call a professional removal service to avoid harming yourself.

Fight Back With a Natural Herbicide

If you are in need of immediate control, consider using a natural, organic herbicide to tackle this giant weed.

EcoSMART’s herbicides are composed of natural ingredients that effectively kill all types of weeds.

Just be sure to also carefully remove the plant’s roots after killing it, to ensure that it will not regrow or spread the next year.

And, of course, do not spray the natural herbicide on other plants, as it will damage all plants it comes into contact with.

Using natural products help to prevent damage to the environment. Chances are the Giant Hogweed has caused quite enough harm as it is—no need to continue the cycle by pouring toxic chemicals into the ground.

Naturally fight back against this invasive, toxic weed with EcoSMART and protect yourself from the very dangerous Hogweed plant.