Nicole Meadows is relieved the weed she saw growing alongside the road near her McPeak Line home is not Giant Hogweed, which is a noxious plant.
Just over a week ago, she noticed what looked like Giant Hogweed growing at the intersection of McPeak Line and Cobden Road, which is near her home. She looked at the plant and then went home and researched it online. However, she forgot to mention it to her husband and with a busy household forgot about it.
But, when her husband Mike mentioned to her a few days later about what he suspected was Giant Hogweed, she remembered and the two agreed it was that noxious and dangerous plant. The stalks are large and have a purplish colour with lots of tiny hairs, she said. She further noted the plant has grown about a foot in a week’s time.
They called the phone number they had for invasive species and were advised to email photos.
“They called us back and told us it was definitely Giant Hogweed,” Ms. Meadows said. “I am very, very nervous about it. It’s so close to our home and we have two small kids.”
Giant Hogweed can cause severe burning and blistering to a person’s skin, she said.
She then contacted the Township of Adamston-Bromley and was advised road superintendent Chris Kunopaski would contact her.
Mr. Kunopaski said he has received a few phone calls about what people are suspecting is Giant Hogweed and it’s turning out to be cow parsnip.
Mr. Kunopaski spoke with County of Renfrew’s weed inspector Jason Davis Monday afternoon. He said he would check the plant out Monday night on his way home.
Mr. Davis also advised whitewaternews.ca he had received a phone call about a large patch of Giant Hogweed near the intersection of Beachburg and Indian roads.
Monday evening, Mr. Davis, through an email to whitewaternews.ca, advised the Beachburg Road patch is actually cow parsnip.
Tuesday morning Mr. Kunopaski was notified by Mr. Davis that the weed at the corner of McPeak Line and Cobden Road is also cow parsnip, not Giant Hogweed.
Ms. Meadows said she will double-check the information is correct, and if it is, Mr. Meadows will destroy the weed.
