# The Return of the Giant Hogweed

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-the-giant-hogweed/817860>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 13, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-the-giant-hogweed/817860 "2018-07-13T19:35:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-the-giant-hogweed/817860/1 "2018-07-13T19:35:03Z")

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[It is happening.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HDDCJ9lKKI)  
[A Virginia Teen Suffered Third Degree Burns After Encountering a Giant Hogweed Plant](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-virginia-teen-suffered-third-degree-burns-after-encountering-a-giant-hogweed-plant/ar-AAA10wy?li=BBnbcA1)

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**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-the-giant-hogweed/817860/2 "2018-07-13T19:38:11Z")

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Found out recently that we have this crap in Oregon now too. At least it’s large, you can see it and avoid it–unlike freaking poison oak that can grow in about five different patterns and likes to hide in grass and brush.

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**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-the-giant-hogweed/817860/3 "2018-07-13T19:53:43Z")

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I found out a couple of years ago that lemon and lime juices can cause the same sort of injury, i.e. [phytophotodermatitis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytophotodermatitis). Supposedly it requires exposure to the plant juice followed by exposure to sunlight.

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**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-the-giant-hogweed/817860/4 "2018-07-13T19:59:54Z")

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From what I’ve heard, they are immune to our herbicidal battering.

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**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\
**Post date:** [July 13, 2018, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-return-of-the-giant-hogweed/817860/5 "2018-07-13T21:17:02Z")

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From looking at the photo of the flowers, it looks like it could be mistaken for Queen Anne’s Lace, a harmless plant that grows to about 3 feet tall.

The hogweed is much larger. [Heracleum mantegazzianum - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum)