Giant hogweed

A member of the parsley family, its most impressive characteristic is its massive size. Giant hogweed reaches a height of 10 to 15 feet when in flower and has hollow stems, 2 to 4 inches in diameter, with dark reddish-purple raised spots and stiff bristle-like hairs. Coarse white hairs are also at the base of the leaf stalk. The sharply incised compound leaves grow up to 5 feet in width. Giant hogweed blooms from mid-May through July, with numerous white flowers clustered in an umbrella-shaped head that is up to 2.5 feet in diameter across its flat top. The plant produces flattened, 3/8-inch long, elliptical to oval dry fruits that have a broadly rounded base, and broad marginal winged ridges. Giant hogweed is similar in appearance to our native cow parsnip, only it is much larger, the purplish blotches are more raised and bumpy, and the hairs on the under surface of the leaf are shorter (about .25 mm long). Cow parsnip seeds also tend to be wider at the base whereas giant hogweed seeds are more often elliptical, the same width at the base and seed tip (click here for a detailed description of giant hogweed seeds).