It can cause third-degree burns and even permanent blindness – and it’s spreading. Giant hogweed is cutting a wider swath in B.C. and Ontario, and the Nature Conservancy of Canada is urging people across the country to document sightings of the­ towering green plant with large umbels of white flowers. Its clear sap can cause blistering third-degree burns and even permanent blindness if it touches the body and is then exposed to the sun, through a phototoxic reaction. Kraus says there is also a concern about a loss of native biodiversity, as giant hogweed is an aggressive plant that can outcompete native plants and spread — especially when it grows near rivers and streams and its seeds are carried downstream.

Source: thestar August 09, 2017 14:03 UTC