Giant Hogweed worries Moncton man

Brian Branch is warning people to be on the lookout for Giant Hogweed. He recentlydiscovered several of the plants in a wooded area near his home in theSunny Brae area in Moncton'seast end.

Giant Hogweed is recognizable by its size and distinctive features. It can reach five metres in height and has a thick hollow stem that is hairy and bristly with purple coloured spots or blotches.

Branch says the plant can be dangerous.

"Those plants are phototoxics so they have a lot of liquids in them and if they come in contact with your skin once your skin is exposed to the sun some rashes and burns will develop and it can be quite severe and it can also lead to blindness if its in contact with your eyes," said Branch.

Branch discovered the Giant Hogweed next to train tracks in the Sunny Brae area.He's concerned someone could stumble upon it, not knowing what it is.

Bob Osborne owns Corn Hill Nursery and a gardening columnist for CBC Information Morning Moncton. Hesays although Giant Hogweed isn't common, peoplehave been spotting it more often lately.

Osborne says the sap can be dangerous, so anyone trying to remove it must take precautions, including covering up.

"If you just cut it sometimes there's enough sap pressure that actually sprays a bit and then that can be a real problem," he said.

"Again if you want to tackle it yourself you have to make sure that you've got gloves that you've got face protection and so forth and then I would take something like a shovel and basically just separate it from the roots and then lay it down and let it dry out."

Osborne says a landscaper can also be called in for removal.

The Giant Hogweed Branch discovered is on land owned by the Canadian National Railway.

Spokesman Pierre Bergeron says the company is looking into the matter. He says company policy states that when Giant Hogweed is discovered, it is physically removed from the roots.

Branch says the city should put up a warning sign, but there are no plans to do that because it isn't on municipal land.The city says it's had no reported cases of Giant Hogweed on city land this year, although there have been cases in the past.

Branch says he just wants to get the word outand remind people to be careful.

"It's good once in awhile to just be in the media and remind people that this species is spreading across Canada and it's in Moncton also."