https://www.livescience.com/62847-what-is-giant-hogweed.html?utm_source=notificationThis Towering Plant Is Invading the US, and It’s Causing Serious SunburnsBy Yasemin Saplakoglu
The giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is a towering weed that can cause vision loss and intense burns.
( Read more... )But what makes this plant so dangerous?
"The [plant's] sap is toxic and basically strips the body's ability to control the UV radiations from sunlight," said Joellen Lampman, an educator with the New York State Integrated Pest Management program at Cornell University. Without this ability, a person is much more susceptible to sunburns.
In particular, the sap contains compounds called "photosynthesizing furanocoumarins," Lampman told Live Science. Sunlight activates these compounds, which can lead to severe burns on a person's skin, according to Metzgar. The burns can worsen with moisture like from sweat or dew and heat, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).
The medical term for this type of burn is "phytophotodermatitis," a skin condition caused by extreme sensitivity to sunlight. "It's pretty horrific," Metzgar told Live Science. "It causes pretty severe burns … worse than [the typical] sunburn."
Phytophotodermatitis can also cause rashes, painful blisters, scarring and long-term sensitivity to sunlight, Lampman said. And if the sap gets into the eye, the toxins lead to vision loss.
( Read more... )People can encounter the sap all over the plant, but they primarily come into contact with it by breaking the plant's stem or leaves or even by touching its bristles, according to the NYSDEC.
( Read more... ) 
