The Town of Saint-Lazare wishes to increase resident awareness to the dangers of an emerging toxic plant which is rapidly gaining ground in Québec: the Giant Hogweed. Once the sap is on your skin and your skin is exposed to sunlight it can cause severe burns. We ask residents to inform the Town of its presence, if they notice any.

According to the Environment ministry the Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum was first introduced on the American continent for horticultural reasons and was first reported in Quebec in 1990. In Quebec, it is an invasive exotic plant. Its sap contains toxins which are activated by sunlight causing from light to painful and sometimes severe superficial skin burns.

You may report the presence of this plant online to the Invasive plant watch network at www.rspee.glu.org or by calling the Environment ministry at 1-800-561-1616.

Not to be confused with the other native perennials in the carrot and parsnip family like cow parsnip
As with the signaling of any other invasive plant, it is important to properly identify the plant in question and not to confuse it with other Quebec native plants which are not intrusive and do not pose a risk to the environment, health or economy. It is the case of native in the carrot and parsnip family which look alike but aren’t toxic.

Should you require further information, visit
www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca. (in French only) or
www.msss.gouv.qc.ca (in English).

Other descriptive (photos) links.
www.saanich.ca

ohioline.osu.edu