Skin burning plants. worth a look

[Scruffy dog]

Hi all,

A recent encounter with Giant Hogweed and subsequent infection, which had me laid up for 2 weeks with all manner of nasties has prompted me to do some inter-web searching. I was aware of the perils of Hogweed (just carelessness on my part) but here's some info on other potentially nasty plant critters. Some are well known and loved, like nettles but there are one or two to look out for.


http://www.nursing-standard.co.uk/archives/en_pdfs/envol11-03/env11n3p1823.pdf



Cheers

Scruffy Dog

 

[led]

Thanks, that's very useful. It's easy to think that contact with plants is pretty much benign, but I ended up with a blistered hand that took several months to heal properly after an encounter with a euphorbia.

 

[pumbaa]

I used to do the grass strimming on lulworth camp and the ammo dump was covered in this hogweed . We used to get covered in the stuff , that and dog poo was the only time that we covered up completely .
nasty stuff
Pumbaa

 

[JoshG]

Like the hornets, hogweed is something I have always wanted to see and never have. I knew it was poisonous but I didn't realise just how bad the effects were.
Very useful info indeed.

 

[gregorach]

You can actually get some use out of giant hogweed provided you collect it at the right time (when it's dying back), and leave it to season - it seems that the nasties break down fairly readily as it dries. Once it's dried you're left with a fairly strong, very lightweight tube. An old mate of mine had a didgeridu made from giant hogweed, which I've used without suffering ill effects.

However, caution is strongly advised.

 

[Motorbike Man]

I should point out that if you see Giant Hogweed (I used to cut it down for a local council) you are actually required by law to inform the local Environmental health department so that they can arrange for it to be removed. It's nasty nasty stuff, I know someone who lost the sight in one eye because he got careless with it.