Beware of Dangerous Hogweed: Plant Found In Parks Leaves Children With Severe Burns and Blisters

Further adding to the list of three affected children, two British boys were recently admitted to a hospital after getting burned from the Hogweed plant. The toxic plant is commonly found in the UK along the public parks, wastelands and riverbanks.

A total of five children has been left with severe burn after coming into contact with the plant, including seven year old girl named Annie Challinor. She developed painful chemical burns after coming into contact with the Hogweed plant in Clifton Country Park in Salford. The Independent reports that the girl has been left with permanent burn scars.

“Medical staff told us she will be left with a permanent scar and that bit of skin will re-blister every time it is exposed to sunlight, so it's total sunblock for life on that bit of skin,” said Annie's mother in a statement.

Heracleum mantegazzianum or Giant Hogweed belongs to the carrot family. The plant has white flowers and its thick stem has bristle-like appearance. The BBC reports that the plant was introduced into Britain in 1893 as an ornamental plant. However, it soon “escaped from domestication” and spread everywhere.

The plant can grow up to a height of 16ft and is native to Central Asia. Some people grow the hogweed plant in their gardens. Since the Hogweed plant can produce up to 50,000 seeds in a year, the horticulture officials believe that it is necessary to stop the plant from seeding.

“We will continue to remove any Giant Hogweed as soon as it is reported, and would like to encourage the public to report any instances of what they believe to be Giant Hogweed on council land,” said a spokesperson for the Bolton Council in an interview with The Independent.

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