Giant Hogweed

Giant hogweed looks similar to a cow parsley plant, but much larger. When fully grown, it can reach up to 5 meters, with spread of between 1 to 2 meters. It forms a rosette of jagged, lobed leaves in the first year before sending up a flower spike in the second year and then setting seed.

UK environmental agencies consider soil containing seeds to be controlled waste and must be handled and disposed of in accordance with the appropriate legal duty of care. It is a criminal offence to plant or to cause giant hogweed to spread in the wild.

Giant Hogweed is not native to the UK, but has become widespread in recent years, and is harmful to humans and animals.

Each plant can produce up to 50,000 seeds per flower head, which appear in late summer. The seeds can remain dormant in the soil for several years. 

To prevent the spread of the plant, movement of soil containing Giant Hogweed seeds must be carefully controlled.

The immediate removal solution often utilised on development sites is to dig out plants and clear the aboveground leaves and stems and then scrape up the soil that contains the seeds.

Continued monitoring and herbicide application to new plants as they appear is recommended for several years following the initial treatment. 

This option is the most effective as it enables the immediate removal of the plants and seed bank. It is fastest way to achieve a site free of Giant Hogweed.