A truly nasty plant

I often get asked, "can carnivorous plants hurt a person?" The short answer is: no, the long answer is "no they dont".

I recently read a news article about a particular type of plant called a 'Giant Hogweed'. A plant so nasty and invasive that in the UK, it is actually an offensive to plant one in the wild.

"The sap of giant hogweed causes phytophotodermatitis in humans, resulting in blisters, long-lasting scars, and—if it comes in contact with eyes—blindness. These serious reactions are due to the furocoumarin derivatives in the leaves, roots, stems, flowers, and seeds of the plant."

Source: wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracleum_mantegazzianum