Dangerous, Blister-Giving Plant Discovered In Stoughton

STOUGHTON, MA — If you see this plant around town, you should make a call to get rid of it.

Stoughton was recently listed as one of 14 Massachusetts communities where the giant hogweed has been discovered. The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) website states that control efforts are in progress.

The giant hogweed was first discovered in Massachusetts in 2002 and can cause painful blisters. MDAR recommends that anyone who sees the plant should avoid direct contact. Here are some key features:

• Biennial or perennial herb reaching 10-15 feet in height.
• Seedlings emerge in early spring. Leaves also arise from the large, tuberous roots that store much of the plant’s energy.
• Stem is hollow, 2-4 inches in diameter, and covered with dark reddish-purple splotches and coarse hairs.
• Leaves are compound with three deeply incised leaflets. Leaves may reach up to 5 feet in width.
• Undersides of leaves look smooth and scaly. If hairs are present, they are coarse and white. A similar species, cow parsnip, has leaves that look fuzzy on the underside.
• White flowers appear mid-May through July. Flower heads are umbrella-shaped with a flat top and may reach 2 ½ feet in diameter.
• Fruits are dry and elliptical (1/4” – ¾” length by 1/8” –3/8” in width) marked with 3-5 brown swollen resin canals (1mm in diameter).

If you think you may have seen a giant hogweed growing, you are asked to contact the MDAR through their online reporting form, or by phone at 617-626-1779.

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