In the summer months it is lovely to see a garden in bloom – however despite all of the many beautiful garden plants that are out there, there are some plants that you definitely don’t want to see in your garden – and one of these is giant hogweed.
It was originally introduced to the UK by the Victorians, who brought it from central Asia as an ornamental plant – however it soon spread and caused numerous problems as many invasive species do, causing biodiversity problems by crowding out the native plants and also posing health risks.
Giant hogweed definitely suits its name – it can grow several metres tall and produces thousands of seeds which is how it spreads so quickly. The sap of the plant has a reaction with sunlight and this causes a skin condition known as phytophotodermatitis if you come into contact with it – this can lead to very painful sores and blisters on the skin which can last a long time, so it is really not something that you want to come into contact with.
Because of this, it is not something that you should attempt to remove yourself without the correct training and safety measures being taken. In fact, if you try to cut it you can then spread that sap further. When there is large infestation of the plant it is a good idea to call a professional like this soil remediation company //soilfix.co.uk/services/soil-remediation/ to come out and remove it and also clear the ground to prevent it from returning in the future.