Giant Hogweed

plants · dangerous · invasive species · carrot family

Huge plant relative. Giant hogweed is related to carrots and parsnips, but unlike its smaller cousins, it can grow up to 10 feet tall with enormous leaves the size of dinner plates.

Burns in sunlight. The sap inside this plant contains chemicals that make your skin extra sensitive to the sun, so touching it and then going outside can cause painful burns and blisters.

Cartwheel flowers. It gets one of its nicknames from the way its tiny white flowers spread out in a big, flat circle that looks like a spinning cartwheel.

Not originally here. Giant hogweed came from the Caucasus Mountains in Asia but has spread to many countries around the world where it crowds out local plants.

Lives only once. This plant is monocarpic, meaning it lives for several years growing leaves and roots, then flowers and makes seeds just once before dying.