Toxic Giant Hogweed Spreading in Upstate NY - Warning to Fossil Collectors

[Oxytropidoceras]

Although the below article do not specifically mention fossil collecting, 

the below articles discuss a nasty, hazardous plant, that fossil collectors

and anyone either collecting, working or playing in the outdoors of 

Upstate New York likely need to be aware of and avoid.

 

'Horror Plant' causes 3rd-degree burns, blindness, 

is spreading in Upstate NY (photos)

By Ben Axelson | baxelson@nyup.com June 26, 2018 

https://www.sciencealert.com/invasive-toxic-giant-hogweed-burns-skin-blindness-virginia-clarke-county

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/expo/news/erry-2018/06/f2e509cfd11171/horror_plant_causes_3rddegree.html

https://nypost.com/2018/06/17/this-plant-causes-3rd-degree-burns-permanent-blindness/

 

Yours,

 

Paul H.

[Kane]

Yikes. I brushed lightly against one once, and it felt like the area it had touched was beset by a lot of bee stings! - And that was just one accidental, light touch, too. 

 

Interestingly enough, the plants that grow around the giant hogweed are generally resistant to its toxicity, so it is possible to pluck a few of the nearby plants to make a temporary poultice. 

[Raggedy Man]

You haven't lived until you've tripped and fallen into a thick patch of wild parsnip and stinging nettle. Good times!

[Mediospirifer]

It's not just in NY; a quick look at online distribution maps shows it over most of northeast North America (west into Ohio and Illinois, but not Indiana!), and the Pacific Northwest. I recommend looking up the distribution in your area to see if it's reached there yet.

 

Fortunately, it's not common. If you see one in NY, the state DEC rather aggressively wants to get rid of it. Their website has good identification information. Here's a link: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/39809.html

 

Stay safe in your hunting, wherever you are and whatever the hazard!

 

[Walt]

20 minutes ago, Kane said:

Yikes. I brushed lightly against one once, and it felt like the area it had touched was beset by a lot of bee stings! - And that was just one accidental, light touch, too. 

 

Interestingly enough, the plants that grow around the giant hogweed are generally resistant to its toxicity, so it is possible to pluck a few of the nearby plants to make a temporary poultice. 

wow.  I have seen this plant but never realized it was dangerous.  Found this graphic when looking up Hogweed.  Very interesting that it needs light to initiate the burns.  I wonder if you cover the area quickly enough if you can delay the reaction until you get help.... (hope you can see the graphic large enough to read)

 

[Walt]

10 minutes ago, Raggedy Man said:

You haven't lived until you've tripped and fallen into a thick patch of wild parsnip and stinging nettle. Good times!

we had a fern in Washington State that grew near the nettles.  There was a pollen on the underside of the fern that you could rub on the nettle stings and make them stop itching and stinging.  I firmly believe that everything dangerous, in nature, has a natural antidote.  

[Raggedy Man]

1 hour ago, Walt said:

we had a fern in Washington State that grew near the nettles.  There was a pollen on the underside of the fern that you could rub on the nettle stings and make them stop itching and stinging.  I firmly believe that everything dangerous, in nature, has a natural antidote.  

Yes, they usually grow right next to eachother as well.

[Walt]

9 minutes ago, Raggedy Man said:

Yes, they usually grow right next to eachother as well.

Nature is as lazy as I am 

[Quail]

in Russia we have whole fields of this plant. Every year, several million people get burned as a result of contact withthis plant in Russia. A rare summer does without reports of loss of vision or even death of unsuspecting people who have come out into the wild. And there is a version that Borshevik Sosnovsky is an artificially derived species. His wild ancestors were found in the mountainous regions of Armenia.

[Mediospirifer]

Here's a NYDEC link about wild parsnip: LINK.

 

This is much more common in NY than the hogweed. One website I saw suggests that the burns heal more quickly (2nd rather than 3rd degree). Still to be avoided!

 

Edited to add: Comparing the two DEC pages (GH vs. WP), the GH page mentions permanent scarring and blindness, while the WP page mentions painful, localized burning and blistering. So, WP isn't as dangerous as GH, but anyone in a potentially infested area should learn to recognize & avoid it!

 

[Walt]

On 7/10/2018 at 4:39 PM, Mediospirifer said:

Here's a NYDEC link about wild parsnip: LINK.

 

This is much more common in NY than the hogweed. One website I saw suggests that the burns heal more quickly (2nd rather than 3rd degree). Still to be avoided!

 

Edited to add: Comparing the two DEC pages (GH vs. WP), the GH page mentions permanent scarring and blindness, while the WP page mentions painful, localized burning and blistering. So, WP isn't as dangerous as GH, but anyone in a potentially infested area should learn to recognize & avoid it!

 

Another about parsnip

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/07/18/vermont-woman-reveals-horrific-wild-parsnip-burns-in-warning-about-dangerous-plant.html

[Mediospirifer]

4 hours ago, Walt said:

Another about parsnip

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/07/18/vermont-woman-reveals-horrific-wild-parsnip-burns-in-warning-about-dangerous-plant.html

 

Yikes!!!

 

We had a small clump in a part of our yard that we leave as uncut meadow; I removed the plants (that I saw, I'm sure there are several more that weren't flowering) last week. Around 50 plants removed in total.

 

I waited to excise them until after the sun was down, then went out with long pants and sleeves and gardening gloves. When one plant smacked me in the face (as I tossed the deflowered stem further into the meadow), I immediately went inside to wash. I've also been wearing a hat when outdoors since. No effects so far, and I don't expect any. I recommend the procedure (dusk removal with full covering of skin) for anyone else who has them.

 

There's another, less common, native plant to watch out for: Cow parsnip. I've recently learned that it can also have similar effects. LINK

 

Stay safe, everyone!