A Dangerous Plant That Causes Severe Burns & Potential Blindness Was Just Seen In Toronto
Keep your eyes peeled for these!
Giant hogweed.
If you like to stop and smell the flowers when you go for a walk in Toronto, you might want to know which plants to avoid because there are some that could seriously harm you.
In a recent tweet, Metrolinx shared that they had just spotted some Giant hogweed near Evergreen Brickworks. They removed the plant from along the tracks, and reminded the public to "always stay on trails."
\u201c\ud83d\uded1 Giant Hogweed is a dangerous, invasive species that can cause severe burns and blisters. We recently found & removed some along the tracks near the Evergreen Brickworks. \n\nA reminder to always stay on trails and away from rail corridors. Learn more: https://t.co/LwEjd0ZIqB\u201d— Metrolinx (@Metrolinx) 1656072012
While these plants have dainty white flowers, Giant hogweeds have clear watery sap that contains harmful toxins that you don't want anywhere near you.
If you get some sap on your skin you can get severe burns that can turn into painful blisters within 48 hours if it gets exposed to the sun, according to the Ontario government's invasive species information portal.
Not only can it give you purplish scars that can stay on your skin for several years, but it can also even cause "temporary or permanent blindness" if you get sap in your eyes. Yikes.
If you do get sap in your eye, the provincial government says to flush your eye out with water right away and see a doctor ASAP.
"However, evidence of permanent blindness linked to exposure to Giant hogweed cannot be substantiated by any existing research," the website reads.
These plants aren't uncommon in the province
Giant hogweeds are typically found throughout southern and central Ontario, from south of Manitoulin Island to Ottawa.
There are also a ton of plants in the province that look eerily similar to the Giant hogweed, like Cow parsnip, Purplestem angelica, Woodland angelica, Valerian, Lovage, and Queen Anne's-Lace (aka Wild carrot).
In order to tell the difference between these plants and Giant hogweed, look at the height, as the dangerous plants can grow up to 5.5 metres tall while the rest are quite small in comparison. Its flowers can also stretch out to a metre wide, which is how you can differentiate them from Queen Anne's-Lace.
So, if you see any Giant hogweed in your backyard or in your community, call the Invading Species Hotline at 1-800-563-7711, or report it online.