{"id":23324,"date":"2011-07-07T00:23:46","date_gmt":"2011-07-06T22:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/planetsave.com\/?p=23324"},"modified":"2011-07-07T00:23:46","modified_gmt":"2011-07-06T22:23:46","slug":"hogweed-a-serious-concern-for-humans-can-cause-blisters-blindness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/planetsave.com\/articles\/hogweed-a-serious-concern-for-humans-can-cause-blisters-blindness\/","title":{"rendered":"Hogweed: A Serious Concern for Humans (Can Cause Blisters & Blindness)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hogweed — heard of it? It’s a tall plant with “flower clusters the size of umbrellas” and it oozes toxic sap that can cause blisters, burning, scarring, and even blindness, not fun stuff. It’s a member of the carrot family and can grow 14 feet tall.<\/p>\n

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Hogweed Spreading in New York<\/h3>\n

Apparently, hogweed is spreading (yet another result of global warming?)…. New York is one place on alert about the troublesome giant hogweed<\/a> (Heracleum mantegazzianum<\/em>)\u00a0and the NY Dept of Environmental Conservation has issued severe hogweed warnings to NY residents<\/a>, alerting people to the fact that it can\u00a0“<\/em>cause severe skin and eye irritation, painful blistering, permanent scarring and blindness.”\u00a0Here’s some useful info from CBS:<\/p>\n

…the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is asking for help locating outbreaks so they can send crews to destroy the toxic weed. New Yorkers should call the Giant Hogweed Hotline at 845-256-3111 to report sightings, and provide photos of potential outbreaks.\u00a0 But the agency warns picture takers not to get too close to the plants.<\/p>\n

The DEC plans to send six crews totaling 14 people to visit most of the 944 known giant hogweed sites.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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How Hogweed Affects You<\/h3>\n

More on the weed<\/a> from\u00a0Naja Kraus, a state ecologist in New York:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s different because (giant hogweed) changes your skin, making it more susceptible to the sun for a number of years,\u201d she said. It\u2019s a condition known as photo-dermatitis, sensitivity to\u00a0sunlight.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the sap gets on your skin, and the sun shines on your skin, especially if there\u2019s moisture like sweat \u2014 and it needs the sun \u2014 it makes the skin unable to protect itself from sunlight, and you can get third-degree burns and blisters,\u201d Kraus\u00a0said.<\/p>\n

If the sap comes into contact with the eyes, it can cause eye irritation and \u201ccan lead to blindness,\u201d she said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Not cool….<\/p>\n

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Where Giant Hogweed Grows<\/h3>\n

10 more states, other than New York, are also home to giant hogweed and have similar programs in place. The states include:<\/p>\n