Shades of Green
Hogweed
How to Identify Hogweed
Where is the plant Hogweed and what does it look like compared to the Angelica plant which grows in the fields and ditches in Grand Bay – Westfield area?
It is important to identify these plants because both can cause medical problems, however hogweed has a sap that causes the skin to be highly sensitive to ultraviolet light when exposed to the sun can cause the skin to swell and blister. If contacted with the eyes, it can cause temporary or sometimes permanent blindness.
The differences between these plants are size with hogweed growing up to fifteen feet or four meters whereas Angelica can reach eight feet or two or three meters. Hogweed is super sized. The leaf structures vary--hogweed develops into deep incised lobed leaves measuring up to five feet in width. Angelica has pinnately compound leaves. Hogweed has white hairs at the node and base of petiole and Angelica has no hairs. The flower structure looks like a flat white umbrella in hogweed whereas Angelica has a mounded flower structure. Hogweed flowers early in summer and Angelica flowers later.
Protective clothing and eyewear should be used when removing these plants. Moving and whippersnipping causes the plants to re-grow from the crown area and multiply. One should remove the plant and root structure.
Because hogweed, Angelica and other species in the Umbelliferae family are similar, identifying is important. For positive identification, please contact us.
For more info contact us at shadesofgreen@rogers.com, or visit us at 2483 Westfield Road, Saint John NB.