Map reveals giant hogweed hotspots where ‘UK’s most dangerous plant’ is growing fastest
OFTEN dubbed 'Britain's most dangerous plant', giant hogweed might not look particularly menacing.
But the towering green shoots topped by branches of white flowers are capable of inflicting searing burns and pus-filled blisters if you brush against them.
Tina Sabine, 28, recounted looking like a 'Teletubby' and waking up unable to move after accidentally brushing against a dangerous plant while walking her dogs.
Meanwhile, Daniel, 21, said his blisters grew as big as "golf balls" after he retrieved a football next to a hogweed plant in a West London park.
He later collapsed under his own body weight as the swelling caused "unbearable" pain.
The notes that the towering plant is an invasive species which is "widely distributed in the wild".
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Though they can be found across the UK, you're more likely to come across it in some spots rather than others.
And a new map created by now highlights the UK's hogweed hotspots and the places you need to be extra vigilant in.
The map shows a think cluster of hogweed growths in the London area, as well as around Manchester, Sheffield, Huddersfield, Leeds, York and Hull
It also pinpoints that the plant is growing thickly in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
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By contrast, Northern Ireland and Wales only have a handful of hogweed sites, according to PlantTrackers' map.
But it notes that only verified records of the dangerous plant have been recorded, meaning there could be further areas that you'd best be cautious walking through.
Giant hogweed can grow to a whopping 25ft and can be easily mistaken for Cow Parsley with its green, rhubarb-like stems and small white flowers.
But it is identified by its purple blotched stem, green leaves and flower heads which can grow 2ft across.
While the stems have fine needle-like hairs that can cause extreme irritation, its sap contains a toxin called furanocoumarins, which causes skin cells to die when it comes into contact with the skin.
Basically, the sap reacts with the melanin in your skin and removes protection that patch has from UV light, causing photosensitivity - where the affected area becomes highly sensitive to sunlight - and resulting in nasty burns, lesions and blisters.
The NHS notes that touching any part of these plants should be avoided.
If you come into contact with the plant, you should protect the area from sunlight and wash the skin as soon as possible with soap and water before seeking medical attention.
This is especially important to do if your child has come into contact with giant hogweed.
Take care not to burst blisters if you get them.
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And should you get sap in your eye, flush the eye with a large amount of water and seek medical attention.
You should also thoroughly and quickly wash the clothes you were wearing when you came into contact with the plant.
