but not to touch!
On Fri, 16 Jul 2010, Dale Leavens wrote: > There have been a few discovered down by Sudbury, about four hours south of > here. Apparently they are quite spectacular to see. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Spiro > To: [email protected] > Sent: Friday, July 16, 2010 8:06 PM > Subject: [BlindHandyMan] BAH Fw: [Sci-tech] Odd but crual Giant alien weed > (this is no joke > > > > Hey Dale be careful! > To: 'Science, Technology, Mathematics, SCI-FI, and more.' > Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2010 7:51 PM > Subject: [Sci-tech] Odd but crual Giant alien weed > > Subject: [Members] Giant weed that can cause blindness popping up in > Ontario,B.C. > > Officials scrambling to destroy the plant that can also cause burns and > permanent scarring. > > Ciara Byrne > > Globe and Mail, Jul. 09, 2010 5:26PM EDT > > Toronto - The Canadian Press - A weed that can grow six metres tall, sprout > massive leaves and produce toxic, > blindness inducing sap is creeping into Ontario and parts of British > Columbia. > Giant hogweed is easily identified by its teetering height. The leaves on the > weed fan out as much as 1.5 metres in diameter. It is also identified by its > tell-tale purple splotching on the stem and its umbrella-like cluster of > white flowers. > > The plant, which was spotted around the coast in British Columbia in late > June, > and is known to flourish in the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Gulf Islands, > and > central to southern Vancouver Island, was discovered in the Renfrew County > area in > eastern Ontario on Thursday. > > Jeff Muzzi, a manager of forestry services for Renfrew County, said officials > have destroyed the toxic vegetation, but he said the indomitable weed has > become a > problem for other places in the province, including southwestern Ontario. > "It's giant. It's not a misnomer," said Mr. Muzzi as he explained the > wondrous > plant that seems to sprout in waste land areas, like ditches and vacant lots. > > David Galbraith, head of science at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton > said > he was intrigued by the enormous plant - which is part of the carrot family - > when he saw a huge patch growing behind a gas station north of the Goderich, > Ont. > years ago. > > "I thought it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen, a great, big, huge > spectacular plant," said Mr. Galbraith as he explained its allure. > > While it may look bewildering - almost begging to be examined by an amateur > botanist or a green thumb - the consequences of touching the weed could scar > a person for > life. > > "The sap gets activated by sunlight, so once you get out on the sun it reacts > and can cause really bad burns, blistering and scars," said Mr. Muzzi. > It has also been known to cause temporary blindness or, in extreme cases, > permanent loss of eyesight, said Mr. Muzzi. > > Within 24 to 48 hours after a person comes in contact with the sap, the > symptoms > will begin to appear, he added. > > The challenge is trying to uproot and remove the invasive weed, a careful > task > Mr. Muzzi tackled on Thursday. > > "In the 35 degree heat I was snipping the flower heads off and I was wearing > a > Tyvex suit and eye protection," said Mr. Muzzi. > It may seem extreme, but it's exactly what the Invasive Plants Council of > British Columbia recommends an expert wear when they're removing the > worrisome weed. The > council recommends waterproof gloves, a rubber raincoat and pants and eye > protection. > > Gail Wallin, the executive director of the council, said the weed has become > dense and has recently spread on Vancouver Island. > > "It's the one plant that in the last month I've received scads of calls," > said > Ms. Wallin. > > Its large roots make it difficult to dig up, and after it's removed some > experts > suggest mowing the patch it was nestled on for several years to eliminate > seeds > in the soil. > > Given that giant hogweed can produce more than 100,000 seeds, there is the > potential that it will spread, said Mr. Muzzi. > > Mr. Muzzi also said chemical herbicides can remove the plant, but since the > cosmetic pesticide ban came into effect in Ontario, people have become wary > of using any > chemicals on plants. > > Experts believe it was brought from Asia to England, and then into North > America > as an ornamental plant, and quickly flourished in wet, moist areas without a > natural enemy. > > Mr. Galbraith said the giant hogweed is an example of what happens when > people > introduce foreign plants into a garden. > > "As an example of this problem, it's a spectacular one," said Mr. Galbraith. > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >
