Map shows where dangerous giant hogweed which causes burns is growing in UK
A new map has revealed where dangerous giant hogweed is growing across the UK.
The dangerous plant may appear attractive, but often leaves people who come into contact with it, with severe blisters and horrific burns.
This included one teen left with a blister the size of an orange, after he grazed the plant when out cycling in West Lothian.
Giant hogweed can cause serious health problems and is a major irritation to the skin as its toxins seep deep into cells.
The highly invasive plant has spread across the UK, but is more commonly found in some places than others.
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The giant hogweed hotspots across the UK and Ireland (Plant Tracker / Reach PLC)The Royal Horticultural Society describe giant hogweed as: “Although this striking plant can be attractive in certain situations, most gardeners will want to eradicate it, as it is potentially invasive and the sap can cause severe skin burns.
“It is widely distributed in the wild and poses a serious risk to people who are unaware of its potential for harm.”
A new map from Plantrackers reveals the giant hogweed hotspots across the country, and where is relatively free of the plant.
London is a massive hotspot for hogweed - specifically in the west of the capital in Hounslow and Ealing, and around Stratford, Walthamstow, and Tottenham in the north east.
However, the plant is perhaps more common across swathes of the north, particularly in Manchester, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Leeds, York and Hull.
Giant hogweed is an invasive species to the UK (stock image) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)The map shows how clustered the plant is across those cities.
The next major band of giant hogweed is across Scotland, centred around Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Both of the country’s major cities have high concentrations of the plant, but it’s also found further north around Stirling.
Northern Ireland only has a handful of recorded giant hogweed sites according to the map.
Similarly, Wales isn’t as affected by the plant either with a dozen or so markers across the country.
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In England, the region with the least hogweed is seemingly the south west, which have just a scattered number of plants.
Ireland has just the two giant hogweed infestations according to the map both in proximity to Dublin.
Planttrackers map only includes verified records, meaning there could be more giant hogweed out there that just hasn’t been confirmed yet.
Giant hogweed is such a problem because it contains high levels of furanocoumarins.
This is the chemical which causes the burning by making skin sensitive to sunlight.
The plant is such a problem that politicians included it on The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) which made it an offence to help giant hogweed to grow in England and Wales.
Under some circumstances, local authorities have the powers to require it be removed too.
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