Hmm, looks like you may have come up with another use for the plant other
than the musical instrument and sunscreen already mentioned! (Wonder if it
might work on squirrels and rabbits too...)

On the other hand, there are some odd things about poisonous plants. For
example, I had always avoided touching Monk's-hood (Aconite), having heard
stories of people getting numb arms or worse as a result of dead heading
etc. Then I was astonished to see a girl in Bishop's Stortford market
(that's UK - we could do with a UK offshoot of this botany group - there is
one on Yahoo, but it doesn't work with Outlook Express...), handing out big
bunches of cut Monks'hood. When I asked her if she felt allright, she said
she had been cutting and making up the bunches all week, and scoffed at my
suggestion that gloves might have been in order...

Anyhow, I'm getting off the subject, so cheers for now,

S


"Leon Fisk" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 21 Jul 2007 19:34:54 GMT, "Steve H"
wrote:

Phototoxic?

You have SUN in Midlothian?

Shouldn't think there will be anything to worry about this year!

S

This may have been meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek but
there seems to be a bit more to it than just sunlight. It
seems to have caused a goat some trouble in this case:

http://veterinaryrecord.bvapublicati...ract/116/8/205

"Suspected poisoning of a goat by giant hogweed

AH Andrews, CJ Giles, and LR Thomsett

A five-year-old male African pygmy goat became ill four
weeks after transfer from a zoological garden to a municipal
park. The animal was subdued, refused to eat and drink and
showed profuse salivation. Examination of the mouth revealed
severe ulceration. The condition gradually responded to
nursing and supportive therapy. Circumstantial evidence
suggested the possibility that the lesions were caused by
giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). Supportive
evidence that the plant could produce lesions was provided
by the application of a cut stem to the hard palate and a
solution of various dilutions to clipped areas of the backs
of two ewes. Both ewes produced reddened skin when the
concentrated solution was applied and both showed marked
reddening of the gingival mucosae and in one animal small
ulcers developed in the rostral part of the mouth. It is
suggested that H mantegazzianum may be a potential hazard
for grazing ruminants."

I have always been under the impression that goats could eat
pretty much anything. I did come across other info
suggesting that hogs and cows could be used to help keep
Giant Hogweed in check. I wouldn't think that there would be
that much difference between the three animals but it seems
like there is or this hasn't been thoroughly researched
(shrug).

--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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