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Giant Hogweed

Anthony Pearson

Anthony Pearson

Senior Member
Just banging the drum (again) about the dangers associated with this non-native invasive species. It appears to be a bumper year here in Yorkshire, so please be careful. The EA have treated some of it but, possibly because of a long period of low rainfall, there appears to have been some secondary growth that is popping up everywhere. As such, it's only as high as the other vegetation and can catch you unawares. If you fish on club stretches where work parties have cleared the undergrowth, just double-check that the hogweed hasn't just been hacked down and left. I've seen instances of this with my own eyes and it's far from ideal.
Stay safe everyone and have a great season.
 
We are fighting a losing battle with GHW on the Upper Severn above Welshpool, where it’s rife. I’ve been banging on at Countryside Council for Wales for years, but they refuse to do anything about. It’s so infuriating, as being on the upper river, it will no doubt spread down the whole of the Severn. When I make this point to them, all I get is ‘The Welsh Assembly, hasn’t made it a priority’ 🙄🙄🙄😡😡😡
 
Roundup Pro active will kill it if less than a foot high with repeated doses.

It is also safe to use in aquatic environments


It is a pain to get EA approval, although I did for one section on the LS.

The person Spraying must be licenced.

In the first instance start contacting the local press about the issue I would suggest.....highlighting the dangers of exposure...
 
Its particularly hazardous when its growing near public footpaths where humans or dogs could stumble in to it , horrible stuff
 
Quite a lot on the Dearne too. Be good advice to get acquainted on what it looks like. Before you start chopping away in the undergrowth.
 
The Tees has long been infested with the stuff. The Swale (about six miles away at the nearest point) doesn't seem to have any, at least not where I've been. The alien invader that's infesting the Swale seems to be Himalayan Balsam.
 
On the plus side, dead and dry giant hogweed is a brilliant kindling for the Kelly Kettle. I must have burnt an acre of the stuff over the years on the banks of the Dearne.
 
horrible stuff got burned few seasons ago on the severn on a work party it also reacts with sunlight which can make it worse and can last quite a while
 
FYI...and the reason as to why it's almost impossible to eradicate:

A single flower head may have over 5,000 seeds and a plant may produce 50,000 to 80,000 seeds. Seeds are shed from late August to mid-October. Seeds can remain viable in soil for 15 years.😱
 
The main problem with GHW is that it evolved to grown in very poor soils along river banks in Siberia, so what happens when it’s introduced to ‘fertile’ solis in the UK……….🌱💥

Its also no just the health risk, Ive seen hundreds of yards of riverbank where it’s the only plant growing in the summer months, where it completely takes over. Come the plants natural dieback cycle and the root void is the size of a football, meaning winter floods, can wash large areas of river bank away.

And still the various DEFRA agencies dont make it a priority 🙄😡
 
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