Posted on 07/07/2011 12:14:43 AM PDT by shibumi
It's got beautiful flowers as big as umbrellas -- and sap that causes blindness and third-degree burns -- and it could be coming soon to a city park near you.
Giant Hogweed, a monster plant that looks like Queen Anne's Lace -- but is more akin to the man-eating-plant Audrey II from "Little Shop of Horrors" -- is spreading in New York state, with dozens more confirmed sightings since last year, experts said yesterday.
The botanical beast is so rampant that the state Department of Environmental Conservation has even set up a special Giant Hogweed Hotline -- and ordered a special 14-man crew to root out its nesting spots along streams, roads and unsuspecting residents' back yards.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/green_monster_eC1GtRTKnNEAPTvUOVOo0H#ixzz1ROsjPTkv
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Perhaps they should declare a war on it. That’ll stop it!
The Genesis song tells us what to do: strike by night!
Giant Hogweed Scare—here we go again. Every day it seems to become yet more the 70’s all over again.
Personally...I think we need to send them tons of Miracle Grow
Here’s the cure: http://www.eweedcontrol.com/images/BIG-Weed-Dragon-Back-Pack.jpg
I’ve got one of these badboys and they do the job. The main trick in most noxious weed control is to get the whole plant. Failing that, trash the sucker when it is getting ready to flower (consuming all the plant’s energy reserves). Most of the time, it’ll give up the ghost if you get it at that point in its life cycle.
What happened in the 70's? (besides the ahem gas shortage)
That looks like a “Triffid” to me. Anybody remember a green meteor shower?
Some mad botanist will cross pollinate it with kudzu...now, THAT’s scary to contemplate..
lol
Bloomie will blame it on weak weed control in other states.
Until I saw your pic. MORE POWER!
Stay out the Bushes and the Hogweed.
Can it be modified for mob crowd control?
When tank pressure is high, you can get about a 24” flame that instantly carbonizes plant material - as in, glowing orange with a puff of smoke. The thing is, you can really only use it when the plants are young because older plants (read:weeds) will regenerate from the roots and the soil tends to absorb and diffuse heat. Unless you sit on one spot and cook the soil, your wasting time burning big suckers. Better to whack them off with machete just before bloom and trash their energy reserves. Still, when spring weeds are starting in beds or fence lines, it’s fun to strap that monster on and fry some badguy weeds.
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