You wouldn’t know from looking at it, but this pretty flowering plant is so dangerous it can cause severe burns and even alter your DNA.
New York officials have sounded the alarm about the invasive Giant Hogweed that is taking hold throughout the state, but it is becoming widespread across the nation.
Giant Hogweed can grow to be 10 to 20 feet tall, has spiky leaves and blooms white flowers during the summer, but contains toxins that can cause painful blisters.
The sap also contains a substance that can bind to DNA in the skin’s cells when exposed to ultraviolet, destroying the body’s DNA molecules.
Giant hogweed is one of a very few North American invasive plants that can cause human health impacts as well as ecological damage, causing a significant reaction when humans come in direct contact with the plant.
The first sign of photodermatitis, a skin condition that causes inflammation after exposure to too much ultraviolet (UV), appears as redness in the skin, which can also be itchy.
Within 24 hours, burn-like lesions form, followed by large, fluid filled blisters within 48 hours.
The initial irritation typically disputes within a few days, but the affected areas may feel more sensitive when exposed to UV light.
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