Giant Hogweed has arrived.

there are giant hogweed maps?

I guess like poison Ivy and Oak.. this is one thing you do NOT want to kill with fire?

Yep.

petegossett wrote: And here I was worried about zombies...

Well, the hogweed-infected people look like zombies .

Amazing. Horrible, invasive exotic that is not in Florida! Is it possible the plant cannot handle our heat?

we can export it if you want

It seems that the best way to control this threat might just be GIANT HOGS!

cwh wrote: Amazing. Horrible, invasive exotic that is not in Florida! Is it possible the plant cannot handle our heat?

It's allergic to our pythons!

Holy hell. Yea, I'll stay away from anything that looks like a gigantic mutant dandelion plant from now on.

Hogweed from the north, pythons and armadillos from the south... jeez. What's a South Carolinian to do?

Ah, I know. The cow ants will take care of these minor things for us.

what the hell is a cow ant?

We always called them "cow killer" ants; i.e. those things that hurt so bad you think their venom could kill a cow. They are actually wingless wasps.

aka "cow killer" or "velvet ant." It is essentially a wingless wasp. I hear that it hurts like hell when it stings you.

Wikipedia to the rescue

http://umaine.edu/news/blog/2011/08/22/extension-horticulturist-warns-of-giant-hogweed/

Sap only burns under sunlight. Neat.

According to that one map, there is no hogweed in Niskayuna(sp).

cwh wrote: Amazing. Horrible, invasive exotic that is not in Florida! Is it possible the plant cannot handle our heat?

The Kudzu probably choked it out.

4eyes wrote:

cwh wrote: Amazing. Horrible, invasive exotic that is not in Florida! Is it possible the plant cannot handle our heat?

The Kudzu probably choked it out.

[giggle] Now I'm envisioning an unsanctioned, underground fighting league where plant enthusiasts bring the two species together in an octagon - surrounded by grow lights, naturally - to find out which will prevail in combat. I can't be the only one who wants to see this

http://www.zazzle.com/half_botanist_half_cage_fighter_tshirt-235985874083932388

After reflecting on the above comments, it becomes obvious that we DON'T have giant hogweed plants in GA because we DO have giant hogs. I'll take that trade.

too bad it's not weed that gives you a giant hog.

Taiden wrote: http://umaine.edu/news/blog/2011/08/22/extension-horticulturist-warns-of-giant-hogweed/ Sap only burns under sunlight. Neat.

that's good to know at least.

I guess all of the nocturnal landscapers can breathe a sigh of relief.