In Ireland, a 14-year-old boy from County Tipperary got seriously injured after touching the giant hogweed, considered Britain's most dangerous plant.
Fatal Exposure to the Notorious Plant
Jayden Channon got exposed to the hated plant while staying at a neighbor's house in Lisronagh. He was tidying up in the garden when he encountered the treacherous plant. Unaware of the potential danger, he cut the plant down using a strimmer. As a result, his arms, legs, and neck were left without defense against the sun's heat when the plant's sap got on his skin.
Upon coming home that evening, his grandmother, Annemarie Channon, saw the marks on his skin. The next day, the rashes had completely turned into huge blisters which broke his flesh. Jayden was sent to Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel, where he showed the doctors pictures of the plant he had been cutting.
The boy suffered from extreme chronic pain, so he needed to be put on morphine while staying in the hospital for three days. The blisters left Jayden in such agony that he struggled to walk up and down the stairs. Because of the blisters on his knees, Jayden needed to hold on to his grandmother's shoulder while going to the bathroom through the hospital corridor.
Thankfully, Jayden's wounds were not infected, and he is now on his way to recovery. Since his skin is badly scarred, it may take years to get back to normal.
READ ALSO: Invasive Vines Are Strangling Fiji's Second Largest Island Exacerbated by Climate Change
How Dangerous is the Giant Hogweed?
Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a plant that belongs to the Apiaceae family. This family includes other well-known plants such as carrot, cumin, parsley, parsnip, and coriander. It looks like an enormous cow parsley plant and can reach over 10 feet, giving an impressive sight when fully grown.
Also known as cartwheel-flower, giant hogweed is considered an invasive species from the Caucasus and is not native to British soil. It was only introduced to Britain and Ireland in the 1800s as an ornamental plant when it escaped and naturalized in the wild. In the UK, it is mostly found in colonizing riverbanks where its seeds are transported by flowing water. It prefers open, slightly humid areas, although they can also be found in various habitats. Today, the spread of this plant across the country has gotten out of control.
The threat posed by the giant hogweed lies in its sap which contains a chemical called furocoumarin that can cause photodermatitis or photosensitivity. This chemical prevents the skin from protecting itself from the sun's rays. As a result, a person exposed to the sap suffers from gruesome burns.
The giant hogweed's sap only takes a few moments to act on a person's body. To make matters worse, the plant does not cause immediate pain, so the victims continue to get burnt under the sun without even realizing the danger they encountered. Aside from cow parsley, other plants mistakenly identified as giant hogweed include angelica, wild parsnip, and Queen Anne's lace.
RELATED ARTICLE: Beware: Toxic Parsnip-Like Plant Washed Up in Cumbria Beaches Can Kill Humans and Pets
Check out more news and information on Plants in Science Times.
