Giant Hogweed...?

[Luis R. Ramos]

How many have encountered the Giant Hogweed, either in missions, personal life, or on a SAREX? What did you do? If not yet, be careful.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/39809.html

Should not be poking fun about this, but that plant somehow reminds me of the movie The Day of the Triffids...

Flyer

[ol'fido]

We have multi-acre fields down here in the Shawnee National Forest that are covered in Kudzu and Ground Ivy.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Kudzu and ground ivy?

But no one has encountered the Giant Hogweed? Then can I say the chances of encountering this plant in the wild are the same as encountering Poison Ivy or Sumac?

As a Ground Team Leader or from the point of safety, should I be concerned?

I sent a warning as my unit ESO, and notified the unit Safety Officer about this plant.

I still wanted to know how many of those in this thread knew about this plant. I got no replies. Does this mean that no one has encountered it?

Flyer

[lordmonar]

I certainly would include it in my safety brief and GT training if you have it in your AOR.

Thanks for the info.

[Critical AOA]

Turn and run!
Nothing can stop them,
Around every river and canal their power is growing.
Stamp them out!
We must destroy them,
They infiltrate each city with their thick dark warning odour.

They are invincible,
They seem immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Long ago in the russian hills,
A victorian explorer found the regal hogweed by a marsh,
He captured it and brought it home.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
He came home to london,
And made a present of the hogweed to the royal gardens at kew.

Waste no time!
They are approaching.
Hurry now, we must protect ourselves and find some shelter
Strike by night!
They are defenceless.
They all need the sun to photosensitize their venom.

Still they're invincible,
Still they're immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Fashionable country gentlemen had some cultivated wild gardens,
In which they innocently planted the giant hogweed throughout the land.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
Soon they escaped, spreading their seed,
Preparing for an onslaught, threatening the human race.

The dance of the giant hogweed

Mighty hogweed is avenged.
Human bodies soon will know our anger.
Kill them with your hogweed hairs
Heracleum mantegazziani

Giant hogweed lives

- Genesis The Return Of The Giant Hogweed

[Luis R. Ramos]

David-



Serves me right for mixing a serious topic with the film.



Where did you get those lines, from the original book or are those lines yours?

Now to my original question, have you encountered it in a real or training mission? Anyone affected? Was it worse than an encounter with Poison Ivy or Sumac?

Flyer

[Critical AOA]

They are lyrics from a song titled The Return Of The Giant Hogweed by a band named Genesis.

[SarDragon]

It appears that its range is in the temperate areas of the country.

Maps:

http://www.eddmaps.org/distribution/usstate.cfm?sub=4536

http://plants.usda.gov/maps/large/HE/HEMA17.png

There are disparities, but they will provide an idea of the growing range.

[Luis R. Ramos]

Thank you for those maps, they are clear the link I ha only had for New York.

Flyer

[Phil Hirons, Jr.]

They are lyrics from a song titled The Return Of The Giant Hogweed by a band named Genesis.

Glad I'm not the only one who went right to Genesis.

[Luis R. Ramos]

It seems to me that it would be a hoot having some of you on missions.

Poisonous plant? Nope, that is a learning experience!

Having a difficult time encountering our objective? Nope, we are just having some extra fun!

Traffic jam on our search? We will just stop tohave a blast at McDonalds or Chucky Cheese!



Some of you guys remind me of a film... Cool Hand Luke...

Flyer

[Critical AOA]

Your culinary preferences are questionable to say the least! 

[VNY]

My wife actually did a comic book adaptation of that entire song about 20 years ago.

Turn and run!
Nothing can stop them,
Around every river and canal their power is growing.
Stamp them out!
We must destroy them,
They infiltrate each city with their thick dark warning odour.

They are invincible,
They seem immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Long ago in the russian hills,
A victorian explorer found the regal hogweed by a marsh,
He captured it and brought it home.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
He came home to london,
And made a present of the hogweed to the royal gardens at kew.

Waste no time!
They are approaching.
Hurry now, we must protect ourselves and find some shelter
Strike by night!
They are defenceless.
They all need the sun to photosensitize their venom.

Still they're invincible,
Still they're immune to all our herbicidal battering.

Fashionable country gentlemen had some cultivated wild gardens,
In which they innocently planted the giant hogweed throughout the land.
Botanical creature stirs, seeking revenge.
Royal beast did not forget.
Soon they escaped, spreading their seed,
Preparing for an onslaught, threatening the human race.

The dance of the giant hogweed

Mighty hogweed is avenged.
Human bodies soon will know our anger.
Kill them with your hogweed hairs
Heracleum mantegazziani

Giant hogweed lives

- Genesis The Return Of The Giant Hogweed

[Luis R. Ramos]

So where was I? I only  learned about this plant last week. Others here not only knew about it but have heard songs dedicated to it, had some fun, and overall seem to be old news!!!



Flyer

[Critical AOA]

Maybe you were more focused on other varieties of weed? That might explain the Chucky Cheese as well.

[SarDragon]

What's Chucky Cheese? Is it anything like Chuck E. Cheese's?

[Luis R. Ramos]

Meant Chuck E. Cheese's...

Flyer

[RRLE]

The next thing to worry about is the Giant Water Bug. I never heard or saw this thing until a week ago. I saw a strange big bug in our community pool. Before touching it I looked it up. This is all I needed to know: "Their bite is considered one of the most painful that can be inflicted by any insect, however, though excruciatingly painful, it is of no medical significance."

[Critical AOA]

The next thing to worry about is the Giant Water Bug. I never heard or saw this thing until a week ago. I saw a strange big bug in our community pool. Before touching it I looked it up. This is all I needed to know: "Their bite is considered one of the most painful that can be inflicted by any insect, however, though excruciatingly painful, it is of no medical significance."

The same thing can be said about uniform threads.