Sue Morrow recently read an article in THE SUN newspaper by Rich Redman. The article is about Wild Parsnips & Giant Hogwood, two wild plants that contain a sap that when it comes in contact with bare skin can cause a painful reaction. "The burns are like second-degree sunburns that can cause painful rashes and raised blisters," claims Redman. Concerned that these plants may be growing wild on some of our properties, Sue urges the site-owners to become aware of how to identify them.. "Make sure you get these plants identified," she suggests and recommends getting guidance from the Cornell Cooperative Extension staff.
Please read the article from THE SUN below to learn more about recognizing these plants and what to do if infected by them.
"Please be safe, not sorry."
(IMPORTANT NOTE: Go to the links to view samples to identify the dangerous plants discussed in the articles below.)
Dangerous plants spreading upstate
Conservation Conversations
BY RICH REDMAN
AUGUST 22, 2018
http://www.suncommunitynews.com/opinions/community-columns/dangerous-plants-spreading-upstate/
I loaded my bush hog on the trailer and hauled it to Westport to get some welding done. The skid plate on the front corner was torn off during some intensive mowing and was now dragging down on the one edge.
The welder gave me the piercing stink eye when I brought the machine in, his first statement was, “Were you mowing poison parsnip?”
“No,” I replied. “I was in the woods chopping down raspberry brush and grasses in my log roads.”
He looked it over with that scrutinizing eye once again and asked what I needed.
His concern was working on a piece of equipment that was covered in juices of poison plants, especially wild poison parsnip or hogweed. He must have been bitten by the stuff before and doesn’t want to get anywhere near it.
I don’t blame him!
My friend Myrna also noted poison parsley plants across from her home and is very concerned about the spread of this nasty plant. She expressed her concerns and ask me to let you all know about it.
So this is for Myrna and you all!
Cow parsnips (Heracleum maximum) and wild parsnip (Pastinaca sativa), produce a sap, or plant juice, containing a substance that can cause burns to the skin in the presence of sunlight. In some cases, the burns are like second-degree sunburns that can cause painful rashes and raised blisters.
Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is another nasty plant that can ruin your summer.
This is from the state Department of Transportation file, “Giant Hogweed Origin: Native to Central Eurasia.”
“Causes severe skin irritation for most people. The sap contains a phototoxin that causes skin to be sensitive to sunlight. Sap can produce painful, burning blisters within 24 to 48 hours after contact as well as red blotches that can develop into scars that persist for several years.
“Giant hogweed has been declared a federal noxious weed, meaning it is illegal to propagate, sell or transport this plant in the United States.”
In some cases, the juices from these plants can cause blindness. Extreme care should be taken when you see these.
I have seen more and more poison parsnip along our roadways, it is spreading fast. Giant hogweed is scarce in our area, but it is known to be around, so keep a look out.
Learn what these plants look like. You don’t want your kids or family pets running amuck through this stuff.
I don’t know how it affects cattle, goats or sheep if it gets in hay, but it probably is a serious problem, so keep track of where the animals graze and what is in the hay. If grazing animals get too close, it may be a problem near their eyes.
As farmers, you may need to check with Cornell Cooperative Extension about any studies concerning grazing and hay, especially during a drought year when pasture is scarce.
Cattle have enough problems with pink eye, flies and this year, the heat and humidity. We don’t need to add any more stress to the herd by nasty urushiol juices getting into their eyes, so beware.
So, what do you do to get rid of it?
Mowing when it is young is a good choice, but you need to keep mowing it to get rid of it. Hand pulling is an option, but wear gloves that won’t get saturated with the juices or you will be in trouble. HAZMAT rubber gloves would work.
Be careful you don’t rub up against it or get the juice on you. You may or may not be allergic to it, but its not the way I would want to find out. That would be a hard lesson learned.
Washing with a strong detergent and hot water or steam cleaning your equipment to clean off any nasty oils is strongly recommend right after using it. If you don’t, you may forget and do mechanical work later, (yeah, we are all getting older) and get the oils on you, you’ll learn the hard way.
Right now, the plants are going into the reproductive mode, meaning there are seeds developing. To keep it from spreading, you may want to clip off the seed heads, put them in a plastic bag and then send them down the road in the garbage truck.
You can then mow the rest of the plant or cut them down individually. Remember, the juice contains chemicals which react with sunlight and can cause nasty blisters, so be careful.
Herbicides are another option, check with Cornell Cooperative Extension for what to use and how to use it. Read and follow the labels; don’t spray herbicides near any water bodies.
The spread of these plants and what towns or highway departments will do about it is a concern. It’s all along many roadways. Spreading the seeds and plants by ditch cleanings and for fill could also be a problem.
If you get fill material from ditch cleanings, you may get the seeds with it, so keep your eyes open and take care of the problem before it spreads further.
Remember this is nasty stuff, so be careful.
If you see a plant and suspect it is one of these mentioned, please check with a professional before you touch it. Make sure you get it identified, then get some guidance from the Cornell Cooperative Extension staff on how to handle and dispose of it. Be safe, not sorry!
My bush hog is fixed, and I can go back to mowing now. No nasty plants are near me so far, but I’ll keep a scrutinizing eye out for sure.
RELATED ARTICLE: Wild parsnip, cow parsnip, giant hogweed: can you identify them and which is most toxic?
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