A Nova Scotia woman is warning about hogweed after her dog came into contact with invasive species and spread the toxins to her.
Wendy Dean says the plant in her own backyard. It resulted in her body being covered in welts and blisters.
“My face was so swollen,” said Dean. “Both arms, both sides, from my shoulders down to the top of my hips.
The first known case of giant hogweed in Nova Scotia was just north of Baddeck in the 1980s. It's believed to have come from Eastern Europe and spread to Nova Scotia. Now it's all over the province.
Botanist Marian Munro of the Museum of Natural History says giant hogweed leaves can be a metre long. She says there are other species that look like giant hogweed, like cow parsnip.
“Cow parsnip can grow up to two meters, giant hogweed can grow up to 5 meters,” said Munro. “I've seen it in Halifax certainly topping the electrical wires."
Giant hogweed also has purple prickly stems, which cow parsnip does not. Cow parsnip can also cause blistering to the skin, but it is native to Nova Scotia.
Wendy Dean says she wants people to be aware just how harmful the plant can be.
“If you've got it, get somebody to remove it,” said Dean. “Somebody knows how to remove it because they need to be in protective gear.”
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kayla Hounsell.
