You wouldn’t know it by looking at it, but this beautiful flowering plant is so dangerous that it can cause severe burns and even alter your DNA.
New York authorities have sounded the alarm about the invasive giant Heracleum plant that is spreading across the state, but is also spreading across the country.
Giant Heracleum can grow to 3 to 6 metres tall, has pointed leaves and blooms with white flowers during the summer, but it contains toxins that can cause painful blisters.
The sap also contains a substance that can bind to the DNA of skin cells when exposed to ultraviolet light, destroying the body’s DNA molecules.
Giant Heracleum can grow to be 10 to 20 feet tall, has pointed leaves and blooms with white flowers during the summer, but it contains toxins that can cause painful blisters.
The sap also contains a substance that can bind to the DNA of skin cells when exposed to ultraviolet light, destroying the body’s DNA molecules.
Heracleum praying mantis is one of the few invasive plants in North America that can cause human health impacts as well as ecological damage, causing a significant reaction when humans come into direct contact with the plant.
The first sign of photodermatitis, a skin condition that causes inflammation after excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, appears as redness of the skin, which may also be itchy.
Within 24 hours, burn-like lesions form, followed by large, fluid-filled blisters within 48 hours.
The initial irritation usually disappears within a few days, but the affected areas may feel more sensitive when exposed to ultraviolet light.
But those with very sensitive skin may need to be hospitalized after exposure.
Even after burns heal, they can leave purple scars that last for years.
The sap of Heracleum giant contains toxins that cause phytophotodermatitis, meaning they increase the skin’s sensitivity to sunlight.
The skin reaction to the sap of the Giant Heracleum can be intensified by heat and sweat, meaning it is more dangerous during the summer.
The plant has been established in several states, including Connecticut, Washington DC, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.
But the worst damage occurs at the microscopic level.
When toxins enter the skin cells, they can destroy the body’s DNA molecules with the help of the sun.
As a result, those skin cells die, which is actually what causes blistering burns.
Medical experts have advised that people who come into contact with the plant should immediately wash the exposed area with soap and water.
Giant Heracleum is native to the Caucasus Mountains, a mountain range at the intersection of Asia and Europe, and Central Asia.
It was first introduced to the United States when it was planted in a New York City garden in 1917.
Since then, it has spread throughout the Northeast, the Great Lakes region, and into Washington and Oregon.
It is especially common in New York because local garden centers sold the plant as an ornamental in the early 20th century.
Today, giant Heracleum can be found in all but nine of the state’s 62 counties, with nearly 1,150 active sites, several dozen of which host more than 400 plants each.
And because this plant reproduces so efficiently, it is extremely difficult to get rid of. A single Heracleum cicuta plant can produce up to 100,000 seeds.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) launched a program to eradicate the plants in 2008. As of 2023, they had completely removed giant Heracleum from 61 percent of known sites in the state.
But there are still more than 1,000 sites where these toxic invaders still exist.
DEC recommends that anyone who sees or comes into contact with a Heracleum cicuta plant report it to authorities so it can be removed from the area. Whatever you do, do not attempt to remove it yourself.
Authorities recommend avoiding contact with hemlock sap, washing immediately, avoiding sunlight and covering the exposed area. Using sunscreen on the affected area can also help prevent serious burns.
The plant has been established in several states, including Connecticut, Washington DC, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin.
