Down East 2013 ©
A giant hogweed can grow up to a majestic fourteen feet tall with white clusters measuring two feet across, and can be quite stunning to look at it. Unfortunately that's true of its touch as well. This large plant native to the Caucasus region of Asia, and its sap is an extreme irritant. Any contact with the sap can cause painful blisters and permanent scarring. If it reaches the eyes it can cause blindness. Two of these plants were found last year in Bayside, and now state and federal agencies are working to make sure the plants can no longer exist in Maine.