Posted on 04/15/2021 2:46:49 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Autumn Firth needed crutches after a chance encounter with the dreaded giant hogweed caused extremely painful burns to her feet
A teenage girl may need a skin graft after her flesh was burned away in a momentary brush with “Britain’s most dangerous plant”.
Autumn Firth, 13, was left on crutches after a chance encounter with the dreaded giant hogweed caused “extremely painful” burns to her feet. The teenager, from Denbigh, now has a long road to recovery before her.
“She was on the riverbank in Denbigh and she was barefoot,” said her dad Jonathan, 35.
“She stepped on a piece of the plant near the river. It was only seconds, but then she continued to play for another hour in the sun which may have made it worse. She didn’t feel any pain or discomfort all afternoon and evening, but she woke up at 5.55am to pain on her foot.
“She called me into her bedroom and said it felt like it was pulsating and tingling – she was terrified as she didn’t know what was happening to her foot."
He added: “I immediately took her to Glan Clwyd A&E when she was dressed. The doctors said they were deep and quite severe burns. She’s been on painkillers since and also using crutches. She has to return to the hospital for a check up and clean dressing every other day – she’s had special gel on her heel because it was so deep, to try to build the flesh back up.
“They have mentioned the possibility of her needing a skin graft on her heel but are seeing how it goes for the next few visits. They say it’ll take a long time to fully heal."
The sap of the giant hogweed stops the skin protecting itself against sunlight, leading to nasty burns when exposed to the sun’s rays. The plant is especially common along rivers, which can transport its seeds.
Mike Duddy, of the Mersey Basin Rivers Trust, said in 2015 that the giant hogweed was “without a shadow of a doubt, the most dangerous plant in Britain”. In 2018 we reported how dad Nathan Davies almost lost his leg and was left with a huge "shark bite" scar after coming into contact with hogweed — you can read his story here.
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Mr Firth, who works with animals for a living, warned other parents to watch out. He said: “Autumn has really struggled, she’s usually very athletic and active, so it’s been difficult for her.
“She’s been really brave but obviously it’s pretty much preventing her normal daily life and this is two weeks later. Her friends at Denbigh High have been really supportive of her. Please just check before letting your kids play outside, it’s a huge plant so if it’s taught about then it’s more easily avoided.
“I’ve read it grows near streams and rivers as that’s how the seeds spread, so just be vigilant – it only takes moments to read about it enough to recognise it.”
The giant hogweed is native to the Caucasus, but was introduced to Britain as an ornamental plant in 1817, and its spread has now got out of control. If exposed to the plant, you should thoroughly wash the area that made contact and keep it out of sunlight for a few days, the Woodland Trust advises.
NY ping as this plant is found in NY.
It takes professional attention to get rid of this nasty.
Although I don’t farm, the Ohio Dept. of Agriculture must think I do. I’ve gotten a notice to look out for giant hogweed here in my eastern county.
ROFL
Wow
I’ll definitely keep an eye out for it
Reminds me of the movie “The Day of the Triffids”
Return of the Giant Hogweed - Genesis
Turn and run!
Nothing can stop them
Around every river and canal their power is growing
Stamp them out!
We must destroy them
They infiltrate each city with their thick dark warning odour
They are invincible
They seem immune to all our herbicidal battering
Long ago in the Russian hills
A Victorian explorer found
The regal Hogweed by a marsh
He captured it and brought it home
Botanical creature stirs! Seeking revenge...
Royal beast did not forget
He came home to London
And made a present of the Hogweed
To the Royal Gardens at Kew
Waste no time!
They are approaching
Hurry now, we must protect ourselves and find some shelter
Strike by night!
They are defenceless
They all need the sun to photosensitize their venom
Still they’re invincible
Still they’re immune to all our herbicidal battering
Fashionable country gentlemen
Had some cultivated wild gardens
In which they innocently planted
The Giant Hogweed throughout the land
Botanical creature stirs! Seeking revenge...
Royal beast did not forget
Soon they escaped, spreading their seed
Preparing for an onslaught
Threatening the human race
Mighty Hogweed is avenged!
Human bodies soon will know our anger
Kill them with your Hogweed hairs!
Heracleum Mantegazziani
It looks like “global Warming” will make it a “Canada only” problem in North America by 2100. We can only hope.
I’m using the same stupid “science” the media sells us every night.
Wow looks like giant Queen Ann’s Lace.
Book was much, much better. Just re-read it last year, just as good as I remembered.
Or plant a giant ring of it around where you don’t want people to go.
Herbicide? LOL
Do they have any plans for abatement or removal of the plant?
It is a non-native invasive species?
Or are there preservationists?
< /BillClinton >
Triffids?
The link has good pictures of it at various stages.
Giant hogweed has not naturalised on mainland Australia. Giant hogweed has not naturalised in Tasmania. Giant hogweed has been recorded near Devonport in northern Tasmania, but appears to have been eradicated.
hopefully...
Plenty of other things to kill you in Australia.
Got tapping? Guitarist Steve Hackett does.
Thus, the repurposing of the word “Bogart”.
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