On 5/30/2018 12:46 PM, wrote:

This is a bizarre story out of The UK about a poor young fellow
who had a run-in with a toxic plant while doing some gardening. GEEZ! o_O
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/640498...es-amputation/


Looks nasty. Poison is a defense mechanism used by many plants.


It's not just over-seas -
It has become quite invasive - everyone should be aware
and take care !
http://www.invadingspecies.com/giant-hogweed/
Also - it's little cousin wild parsnip - a rapidly spreading
invasive ..
http://www.invadingspecies.com/wild-parsnip/
John T.


When I looked it up it said that hogweed was brought into the UK as an
ornamental.


.. and to North America - so what .. ?


I don't know how evasive it is but these things can become a problem
outside their native habitat. Wasn't the US customs going to fine a
woman for bringing in a apple given to her on her travels back to the US
that she got on a French airline?

I thought it was comical about 30 years ago on a bus going from the
airport into Toronto to see a couple of secretaries returning from a
vacation in Cuba with a cute insect they had. Might have become a
scourge in Canada.

We got invaded by stink bugs a few years ago and they were taking over
even ruining my peppers. Must have take a while for birds and bats to
find them tasty as they are no longer a problem.

I'm infested with Japanese stilt-grass due to somebody in Japan using it
as a packing material to ship to the US.