The giant hogweed is an impressive plant to see. It can grow to 3 to 5 meters high, with stems 5 to 10 centimeters thick. But we’d rather lose him in the Netherlands than get rich, says Chris van Dijk. He is a researcher in plants and the environment at Wageningen University.
Threat to other plants
“It’s an invasive exotic, meaning it poses a threat to other plants. And if people or animals touch it, it can burn them badly.”
The giant hogweed was brought to Europe from the Caucasus as a garden plant in the 19th century. Today, the plants are mainly found along water, roads, bicycle paths and railways, and in places where many other flora can be found. The stinging hairs and sap of the plant can cause very nasty blisters, especially in combination with sunlight.
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There is also a giant hogweed next to the playground where Livinio (8) from Moerdijk often comes. He had gone to the playground with some friends on Saturday, woke up Sunday morning with a blister on his finger and spots on his face. “He said: I think I burned myself,” says his mother Sabine. “I thought: that’s weird, how can a child burn himself? We decided to take a look.”
Blowing and blisters
A few hours later, more blisters appeared on his hands, which also became real blisters. Sabine then decided to call the GP. “There they told me that it probably comes from that plant. We were given a drink that should inhibit the reaction and the advice to keep the spots well fat and pack it.”
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Sabine went to the playground where Livinio had been and indeed saw a giant hogweed there. “When I showed it, he did say he’d been on it. I warned him about the plant recently, after reading about it, but I don’t think kids are aware of that at all when they’re playing. He was probably looking for a good hiding place, they often play hide and seek.
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The pain is not too bad, as long as they keep the spots well fat, but Sabine thinks it is important to warn others. “It can be a lot more annoying than with Livinio.” That is why she also posted a message on Facebook, so that people in the neighborhood know that the plant is near the playground. And she made a report to the municipality of Moerdijk.
20,000 seeds per plant
Municipalities often remove the plants after such a report, says Van Dijk. But that is not a structural solution to the problem. “It is also very difficult to tackle it structurally. You have to intervene regularly for years. As soon as they start flowering, an average of 20,000 seeds are added per plant that can germinate up to seven years later. But there is often no money for that intervention and space.”
Sabine is not angry with the municipality either. “Of course he didn’t put the plant there deliberately, so I can’t blame anyone. But I do hope they will remove it now.”
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What should you do if you touched a hogweed?
- Wash the skin immediately and for a long time with lukewarm water and possibly soap
- Did the hogweed touch your eyes? Then rinse them with plenty of water
- Try to come into contact with sunlight as little as possible, then you reduce the chance of blisters
- Do you have a few small blisters that barely hurt? Then treat them like burns: cover them with a non-stick bandage after you have rinsed them with lukewarm water. Sometimes a plaster can be enough
- Are they bigger or more painful or do you have a lot of blisters? Then call your GP or GP post for advice. Then also cover the places to prevent sunlight from getting in
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