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Giant Hogweed

Scientific Name

Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier (ITIS)

Common Name

Giant hogweed, cartwheel-flower

Native To

Caucasus Mountains (Gucker 2009)

Date of U.S. Introduction

1917 (Gucker 2009)

Means of Introduction

Ornamental (Gucker 2009)

Impact

Produces toxic sap that can cause skin irritation and blindness (Gucker 2009)

Giant hogweed

Giant hogweed plants

Credit

Photo by Donna R. Ellis; University of Connecticut

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Spotlights

Distribution / Maps / Survey Status

Federally Regulated

  • Noxious Weeds Program

    • USDA. APHIS. Plant Protection and Quarantine.

    • Includes species listed as a Federal Noxious Weed under the Plant Protection Act, which makes it illegal in the U.S. to import or transport between States without a permit.

Videos

Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source.

Council or Task Force
Partnership
Federal Government
International Government
State and Local Government
Academic
Citations
  • Gucker, C.L. 2009. Heracleum mantegazzianum. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory.

  • Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Heracleum mantegazzianum. [Accessed Sep 16, 2023].