Before you walk through the west Michigan wilderness, pack your Roundup and put on your long pants. The Calhoun County Public Health Department has found the dangerous giant hogweed plant near Battle Creek and is urging people to be careful.
The plant was removed, but others could be growing wild. Township and county officials will monitor the site for several years. Even though it's a member of the carrot family, the hogweed plant is one of Mother Nature's nastier creations. The sap on its leaves, roots, flower heads, seeds and stem hairs can cause blistering and scars if they touch bare skin. And if that sap gets in the eyes, it can cause permanent blindness. Adding to the horror factor: If you came into contact with the plant, you might not know it immediately because it can take up to 48 hours for the reaction to occur. "Giant hogweed is a public health hazard that ranks up there higher than poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac in respect to its potential to harm humans," the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development says on its website.
