Where did the Sosnowsky hogweed first appear? How dangerous is hogweed: where did it come from in Russia and how to deal with the poisonous plant. Fighting an uninvited guest

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Plants from the genus Hogweed have long been well known. The homeland of Sosnovsky's hogweed is the Caucasus. In the last decade in the literature, especially popular science and journalistic literature, these plants have only been mentioned negatively. The beginning of increased interest in plants of this family dates back to the late 40s of the 20th century.

History of appearance
In the former USSR, the authorities set scientists the task of solving the problem of producing feed for livestock. Scientists from many research institutions took part in this large-scale program. But the most active were the Botanical Institute of the Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg), the Komi Institute of Biology (Syktykvar) and the Institute of Feed (Moscow region). A group was organized at the All-Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences to study and introduce non-traditional feed crops into production. The very first and most highly productive among the hogweed species was Sosnowsky's hogweed (Heracleum sosnowskyi). The productivity of this plant turned out to be so high that if it were successfully used as a fodder crop, one could talk about a “green revolution” in fodder production. After the Great Patriotic War, industrial cultivation of Sosnovsky's hogweed began. Back in 1947, scientists from the Polar Alpine Botanical Garden of the Kabardino-Balkarian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic developed recommendations for the use of hogweed in agriculture as a silage crop. Work was organized to selectively improve this species and varieties with a low content of coumarins in biomass were developed, for example the Severyanin variety. For a long time, Sosnovsky's hogweed was considered a promising fodder crop. Its yields of green mass were greater than those of corn and clover. The introduction of Sosnovsky's hogweed into culture was supported by I.V. Stalin, N.S. Khrushchev and L.I. Brezhnev, which is why it became quite widespread in the country. However, in the 80s of the last century, livestock farmers abandoned its use for several reasons. Firstly, the silage from the green mass of hogweed was liquid and of low quality. Secondly, the milk of cows that ate hogweed for a long time acquired an unpleasant bitter taste. Thirdly, phytoestragon, which is part of hogweed, caused infertility in animals. All this and some other reasons determined the removal of Sosnovsky's hogweed from crop rotation. As a result, the species settled in the natural cenoses of the countries where it was introduced as a crop. Hogweed appeared on roadsides, uncultivated lands, and subsequently in fields as a malicious weed. People began to call hogweed “Stalin’s revenge.” Probably because the most intensive introduction of hogweed as a crop at the state level was carried out with the support of I. Stalin.
All problems associated with hogweed concern one species - Sosnowski's hogweed, which continues to spread quickly and aggressively on uncultivated lands. This development of events is not news for scientists; they assumed the possibility of the spread of hogweed as a malicious weed even at the initial stage of domestication of the species. All their fears came true today. It is known for sure that the species has already taken its place in phytocenoses near reservoirs, along roads, in uncultivated parts of fields, and is found even in cities - in parks, squares, and gardens. The new kind disrupted the ecological balance of these groups, began to displace typical plants, and attract new unexplored dangers. Control this type extremely difficult, and in the city - generally problematic. In Russia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Estonia, and Scandinavian countries there are now government programs to combat this plant. In all European Union countries, Sosnovsky's hogweed is officially classified as a quarantine plant, but in Ukraine it is not yet. In Estonia, the entire population is involved in the fight against hogweed. Maps of the distribution of this species throughout the country are being created. IN Russian Academy Sciences has created a special commission to combat this species.
According to the Institute of Biology, Sosnovsky's hogweed now continues to be grown as a fodder crop only in Komi (Russia). There in the cold and short summer this crop provides a stable yield of green mass.

Botanical description

Sosnovsky's hogweed belongs to the Umbrella (Celery) family (Apiaceae). The genus Hogweed (Heracleum) has up to 70 species in the world flora; 40 species are known in the CIS, and only one in the USA.
Due to the high growth and large above-ground mass of the plant, the Roman botanist Pliny gave it the name of the ancient Greek hero Hercules, which in botany was legitimized for a plant of this family by Carl Linnaeus - Heracleum L. In the literature, this biennial plant is now called Hercules Hercules. The scientific species name - Sosnovsky's hogweed - is given in honor of the famous researcher of the flora of the Caucasus D.I. Sosnovsky.
The stem of Sosnovsky's hogweed is erect, ribbed, with grooves, up to 3 m high, 3-5 cm in diameter. In cross-section it looks like an empty, finely ribbed tube.
The leaves are petiolate, large (up to 50-60 cm long), trifoliate or pinnately divided, pubescent, green above and grayish below.
The flowers are bisexual, white-green, sometimes even pink, collected in large (up to 40-50 cm in diameter) 30-75-rayed umbels. The outer petals of the outermost flowers in umbrellas are sharply enlarged.
The entire plant is covered with stiff hairs.
The fruit is obovate, oblong, up to 10-12 mm long and up to 8 mm wide, columnar-shaped viscocarp, which splits into two pericarps. The pericarp, in turn, consists of two halves, which are usually called seeds. On the back and near the base the fruit is covered with spiny hairs. Weight of 1000 seeds - 12-16 g.
The root system is taprooted, well developed, but penetrates shallowly into the soil: the bulk is located in a layer of up to 30 cm (individual roots penetrate to a depth of more than 2 m). In the upper part the root is branched, the main and lateral roots are fleshy. When broken, they secrete a light yellow liquid with a pungent odor of essential oil.

Developmental biology

In the first year of development, a basal rosette is formed from the plant seed, and the stem and seeds are formed only in the second year. Sosnowski's hogweed blooms from June to August. The seeds ripen in July-September and fall off easily.
Hogweed Sosnovsky is an entomophilous plant (pollinated by insects). Since hogweed has nectar in flowers almost on the surface, not only bees, but also other insects, for example different types of flies, take part in its pollination.
This is a biennial plant and reproduces exclusively by seeds. On average, from 10 to 15 inflorescences are formed on one plant. The number of fruits on one plant is 20-35 thousand. Thus, the seed productivity of one plant can reach 70 thousand viable seeds. Seeds germinate from a depth of no more than 5 cm. But starting from a depth of 3 cm, a sharp decrease in the number of seedlings is observed.
On the surface of the hogweed fruits there are wing-shaped outgrowths. This ensures its spread with the help of wind, which is one of the main factors in the spread of this species to new territories.
Sosnovsky's hogweed produces seeds of varying quality, which causes the period of its germination to be extended in time. Almost all seeds formed at the end of summer are in a state of primary dormancy and do not germinate in the fall. The next year they germinate by only 20-70%, in the third year - by 30-60% of what did not germinate in the first year. If the seed is kept in a humid environment for 1-2 months at low average daily temperatures (2-4 °C, winter), it leaves the state of primary dormancy and its germination rate increases sharply. In laboratory conditions at a temperature of 8-10 ° C, the germination of hogweed seeds reaches 90%. Therefore, in the spring field conditions when the soil warms up to 1-2 °C, very dense shoots of this species often form (up to several thousand pieces per 1 sq. m). And although most of the seedlings subsequently die, their high density ensures maximum competitive ability. This ecological-coenotic strategy allows the plant to resist other species already at the initial stages of the formation of a weed group and quickly displace them. Some hogweed fruits can germinate after 5-6 years, and sometimes even after 12-15 years. This indicates the ability of the seeds to remain viable for a long time.
The seed productivity of Sosnowski's hogweed depends on many factors. The main ones include: the degree of moisture supply, the presence of pollinators and temperature conditions during the flowering period, the supply of nutrients, etc.
A peculiarity of Sosnovsky's hogweed seeds is that they are formed on the plant with an underdeveloped embryo. Storing fruits in dry conditions leads to a reduction in their germination during the winter period by 50-90%. After three years of storage, seeds may completely lose their ability to germinate.

Ecology

The species prefers soils that are light in mechanical composition and well moistened. The optimal reaction of the soil solution is pH 5-7. Holds up well low temperatures and drought. It overwinters under snow even at temperatures of -40 °C and can withstand frosts down to -10 °C. It grows poorly in poor soils. Withstands flooding for up to 30 days.
Almost no other species grow in hogweed thickets. The plant creates a special, species-poor ecosystem around itself. Even the turf disappears around the hogweed. According to some data, in Russia this weed annually conquers 10% of new territories, without giving up a single square meter of previously occupied territory. Scientists are afraid that the spread of such ecosystems could cause a regional environmental crisis.
Most researchers note the high competitive ability of this species. In this case, the oppression of neighboring plants begins from the moment of seed germination. Scientists managed to uncover the mechanism of this process. The hogweed fruit contains channels that contain essential oil substances. As a rule, with inside the shell has two such channels, and the outer (dorsal) shell has four. During the autumn-winter period, the shell of fruits that fall on the soil surface rots, and the essential oils and resins contained in the tubules spread around the seed. These biologically active substances have strong allelopathic properties. They delay the germination of seeds of other species, which provide protection for hogweed seedlings from the possible negative effects of germinating seeds of other species.

Usage

Sosnovsky's hogweed is an excellent honey plant. From one hectare of crops of this plant you can get from 100 to 300 kg of honey. It is a good component for making combined silage. But hogweed itself cannot be a good raw material for making silage, since some time after laying the silage its cell membranes open and all their contents accumulate in the form of a liquid with an unpleasant odor. In feed production, it is more rational to use hogweed as green fodder, the basis for this is the rapid increase in mass in the spring, as well as a long period of use of nutritious green mass and its high level of productivity. For example, the height growth rate of this species reaches 9 cm per day.
In Transcaucasia, the plant is used in the production of pickled cheeses. Sosnovsky's hogweed has long been added as a seasoning to first courses (borscht, cabbage soup, soups with potatoes and meat, etc.). Young shoots, stems and leaves of this plant are placed in salads, used for pickling, pickling, drying, and even used as a filling for pies. And decoctions from hogweed shoots taste like chicken broth. For the winter, only the leaves of the plant are usually prepared - dried, salted or fermented. Hogweed roots are used fresh and dried as a spice. From the roots of hogweed, rich in sugars, they even obtained sugar and produced vodka. Essential oils and dried hogweed are used in the canning industry. Fresh stem and basal leaves are unsuitable for eating without prior cooking. They have a strong odor and bitter taste. Cooking(dousing with boiling water, boiling in salt water, soaking in brine) ensures good taste of hogweed greens and guarantees their safety for consumption. Boiled shoots and leaves replace garden greens. For gourmets, a delicious dish is fried hogweed stems. First, they are doused with boiling water and then fried together with onions in oil. On the territory of Russia, it was no longer the native of the Caucasus, Sosnovsky's hogweed, that was used in food, but the local species, Siberian hogweed (Heracleum sibiricum), its leaves were eaten instead of cabbage and called borscht.
IN folk medicine Hogweed began to be used back in the days of Ancient Egypt. Sosnowski's hogweed has a high content of essential oil. Main component essential oils- octyl ester of acetic acid (80%), which has high anti-trichomoniacal activity and is recommended for use in medicine. All this determines its high bactericidal effect. For example, when cows eat its green mass, the milk has a bitter taste, but does not turn sour for a long time, and honey from hogweed manifests itself as an antibiotic like penicillin. The roots and fruits of hogweed are included in complex medicinal mixtures that are used for kidney diseases. The fruits are used to treat gastrointestinal and gynecological diseases, lymphodernititis, anthrax, and furunculosis. A decoction of hogweed roots is drunk as a sedative for neuroses and skin diseases accompanied by itching.

Harm

They say that Sosnovsky's hogweed has such vitality that it cannot be removed even with diesel fuel. The main harmful property of Sosnovsky's hogweed is that it can cause burns on human skin. If you touch the plant or get its juice on your skin, a person will not immediately feel pain, as, for example, when coming into contact with nettles. But after a few hours or even a day, itching and redness of the affected areas of the skin will begin, and then blisters will appear. With severe burns, the temperature rises, fever begins, ulcers appear for a long time, and after healing they remain in their place for another 2-3 years. dark spots. Hogweed damage intensifies when sunlight. But even if a person touched this plant at night, blisters will appear in the morning in sunlight.
The high activity of hogweed in the light is associated with the presence of special photodynamically active substances, furocoumarins, which increase the sensitivity of the skin to ultraviolet light and neutralize the effect of melanin. Furocoumarins accumulate most in the villi and leaves. Sosnowski's hogweed causes the most severe photoburns upon contact with wet skin in hot weather. sunny days. In the light, coumarin turns into a dimer, which causes dermatitis. There are cases where people became disabled due to careless handling of this plant. It is especially dangerous when the juice gets on the mucous membrane of the mouth. Sosnovsky's hogweed is very dangerous for children. Children often choose places to play in the thickets of these large plants, and pipes and various pipes are made from its stems.
The second negative feature of this species is that it can become an extremely active and dangerous weed in agricultural crops. Favorable conditions for its growth are primarily created in well-lit areas - along the edges of roads, in the lowlands of rivers, next to fields of agricultural crops. Important feature This weed is that it does not tolerate proximity to other weeds and agricultural crops, and therefore displaces them, gradually spreading over large areas, acquiring the character of a natural disaster.
Hogweed germinates in early spring, when a significant portion of other potential competitors are still in the dormant phase, and those that have managed to germinate cannot withstand shading from the wide leaves of hogweed, which is incredibly fast in terms of the rate of accumulation of vegetative mass, which also strengthens its position as a contender for the role of the main dominant in the agrophytocenosis . Hogweed seeds are spread by wind, water, animals, and humans.
The third component of harm is negative consequences for local ecosystems. With mass reproduction and spread, hogweed can completely displace other local species.

Treatment

The consequences of damage by this plant depend on how long the light was exposed to the affected area of ​​the body. That is, light is a catalyst for a reaction that leads to more severe consequences. Therefore, it is advisable to cover areas of the skin affected by hogweed with light-proof materials for two days.
If hogweed juice gets on your skin, you should immediately blot it with a cloth without smearing it, and cover the area with clothing or a bandage. Then the affected areas of the skin must be washed big amount water, preferably with the addition of a small amount of soda. In such a solution, coumarin, its derivatives and essential oils dissolve better, and therefore are removed from the skin to a greater extent and faster. Then it is advisable to lubricate the affected areas with any burn remedy. A large accumulation of coumarins in the human body leads to the development of a disease called vitiligo.
When destroying hogweed, you must have waterproof clothing and a respirator or gas mask.

Ways to destroy Sosnovsky's hogweed

1. Mowing plants before flowering. Hogweed is a biennial monocarpic plant, meaning it blooms only once in its life. Therefore, mowing it before flowering is effective method plant control. Mowing should be done 3-4 times a season. Each subsequent mowing is carried out 3-4 weeks after the previous one. If mowing is done once, this will only enhance the plant’s ability to reproduce further. You cannot mow Sosnovsky's hogweed during the period of seed shedding, as this will contribute to the dispersion of seeds over a large area. The optimal time for mowing it is before the plant enters the tube (the period of active growth), but always before flowering. The cutting height is no more than 10 cm, this will ensure that all shoots bearing the inflorescence are mowed.
If mowing is carried out before the end of flowering, but before the fruit sets, then it is imperative to collect and destroy the mowed plants. This is due to the fact that the generative shoot of hogweed has a large supply of nutrients, which are sufficient for the seeds to ripen in the main umbrella of the mowed plant. Seeds that have even reached the stage of waxy ripeness are able to germinate and produce new shoots.
The Estonians have relied on mechanical measures to control hogweed, refusing to use herbicides in the regional biological program to combat this species. But who knows what is better - just a weed or a mutated species that survived after numerous chemical treatments... Our Baltic neighbors made a logical conclusion and organized teams of volunteers who mowed down hogweed plantations in the flowering stage. The local population is also trying to help: in each district, detailed maps, reflecting the location of the “enemy”.
2. Trimming inflorescences. As noted above, Sosnowski's hogweed blooms only once. And the advantage of this method is that by pruning once, you can prevent the plant from spreading in the future. Of course, it is impossible to completely exclude the appearance of weed seedlings next year, since its seeds may be dormant in the soil from previous years. It is advisable to prune inflorescences during the period from the beginning of budding to flowering. If pruning is done late, when the seeds have already formed and are ripe, and especially in windy weather, this may contribute to the spread of the species to new territories. Trimming the inflorescence is the most effective remedy destruction of hogweed in small areas, near human habitation. But at the same time, it is imperative to observe all personal protective measures (waterproof clothing, protective gloves and a respirator). If the time for pruning the inflorescences is missed, the plant must be mowed. It should be remembered that after cutting off the inflorescence, hogweed continues to vegetate for a long time, so if its presence is generally undesirable, more drastic methods of control must be used.
3. Incineration. This effective method destruction of Sosnovsky's hogweed in small areas. The most best time for its implementation - the period of seed ripening. Remember that this is a fairly limited period. It is better to burn before the fruits begin to fully ripen in the central (largest) umbrella. This method requires maximum care and precision. The fruits contain essential oils, so they burn well, but to burn even unripe fruits, you can pour a quickly flammable liquid over the plant before setting it on fire.
4. Application of herbicides. When absent from the field cultivated plants Sosnovsky's hogweed is best destroyed with well-known exterminator herbicides (Roundup, Tornado, etc.). This should be done before flowering begins, but it is even better when the hogweed plants are in initial phases development. Experience shows that hogweed exhibits resistance to glyphosates when treated in later periods of development. When seeds ripen, it is not advisable to apply herbicides, since only the above-ground mass is destroyed, and the seeds remain viable. The application rates of herbicides should be taken to the maximum. Due to the extended period of seed germination, it is impossible to destroy this species with a single application of herbicides. After the emergence of new shoots, it is advisable to re-apply herbicides. It is recommended to use herbicides in early spring, when the plants are approximately 20-50 cm tall and the center of the infested area can be reached. Spraying must be repeated at the end of May to destroy the plants that survived the first treatment.
5. Agrotechnical measures. The correct order of alternating crops in crop rotation is the key to successful control of this species on arable lands. In large fields in crop rotation with the massive presence of Sosnovsky's hogweed, it is advisable to carry out deep plowing once every 4-5 years to plant the seeds available on the soil surface, and in other years - surface tillage to destroy the seedlings. This way you can dramatically reduce the potential contamination of the soil with seeds of this species.
During the growing season, if hogweed shoots appear and there is no crop in the field, cultivation must be carried out. The cultivation depth should be at least 8-10 cm. Hogweed is characterized by the phenomenon of geotropism - the growth point being pulled below the soil level. Typically, the depth of the growth point is 3-5 cm, but sometimes, depending on climatic and soil conditions, it can be located even at a depth of 7-8 cm. To completely destroy hogweed in the field, the control system should be designed for 3-5 years.
If Sosnovsky's hogweed is found in large quantities on lands that have not been cultivated before, it is not advisable to carry out autumn plowing. In this case, the system of surface cultivation of the soil as the weed emerges is more effective. Also, Sosnovsky's hogweed seedlings are easily destroyed by cultivators (in large areas) or glanders (in small garden plots). Particular attention should be paid to the depth of cutting the hogweed root. You need to cut it below the root collar to destroy the growing point, otherwise the plant will quickly grow back. Due to the extended period of germination, this operation must be carried out every 3-4 weeks, starting from the moment the first shoots appear.
6. Phytocenotic oppression. In fields where this species occurs as a weed, it is worth sowing fast-growing annual or perennial forage crops of continuous sowing and sowing them with an increased seeding rate to form a dense grass stand. Wide-row crops, such as potatoes, that receive mechanical care for a long time will also be effective.
7. Biological control methods. A biological method for exterminating this species has not yet been developed. It is only known that a potential biological object could be the hogweed moth, the larva of which develops in the stem, moving from below to the inflorescence, and is capable of damaging the buds before they bloom.
Nikolay Kosolap, Elena Odarchenko
National University of Bioresources and Nature Management of Ukraine
Department of Agriculture and Herbology

I didn’t even have time to blink an eye when a gang of children, whooping and warlike cries, clutching improvised sabers in their hands - wooden rods and sticks, rushed to attack the thickets of spreading giants (some of them reached a height of two meters). "Stop! It's dangerous!" - I managed to shout, but it was already too late. The kids began to chop and destroy the “enemy”. Pieces of greenery flew in all directions, poisonous juice splashed out... In the evening, one of the “fighters” was taken away by ambulance - the boy’s hand was swollen, red and unbearably painful. It’s good that everything worked out well - the doctors lubricated my hand with some ointment and gave me an injection. The rest of the children, fortunately, received only minor “injuries.” Eh, that's what the city kids mean - they had no idea what they had to face.

However, it is not only children who suffer from these poisonous plants. Every year in the summer, the victims of hogweeds, which have long occupied wastelands, inconveniences, and roadsides of most Russian territories, become thousands of adults. Sometimes thickets of hogweed can be found even in city parks, or even courtyards.

I was once sure that hogweed is a mutant plant, either specially bred in secret laboratories, or appeared due to pollution environment. And one day on the bus I heard that its seeds were brought to us by American spies... However, neither spies nor the insidious green men from flying saucers were involved in the appearance of this plant. In fact, this is not even a mutant, but just herbaceous plant of the umbrella family - Sosnowski's hogweed. Latin name genus - Heracleum, named after Hercules, which is believed to be associated with the high growth rate of hogweed and its heroic size. Hogweed settles mainly in well-lit and humid places, is not afraid of frost and heat and can grow up to 4 meters in height. It should be noted that among the representatives of Herculean plants there are also safe, edible species, for example, Siberian hogweed. Sosnovsky's hogweed is used as livestock feed in processed form, like silage.

The homeland of Sosnovsky's hogweed is the Caucasus. IN Middle lane and many other regions of Russia, the plant appeared in the last century, after the Patriotic War. The culprit in the spread of hogweed is Joseph Stalin. One day, having learned that in North America Hogweed is a valuable fodder crop; Comrade Stalin personally ordered its cultivation everywhere. From a weed, hogweed has become a cultivated plant. Stalin's work on breeding hogweed was continued by Khrushchev and then Brezhnev. In the 70s, the Poles were advised to grow hogweed, but local livestock farmers did not like it, since the milk of cows consuming hogweed tasted bitter. In addition, it turned out that the plant is poisonous. And although they stopped growing hogweed in Poland, it is still for a long time called nothing more than “Stalin’s revenge.”

In our country, hogweed cultivation has also been abandoned almost everywhere. But it was already too late. The giant broke free and began to conquer territories, multiplying on its own, without any control. Even about 30 years ago, when the plant was cultivated, fears were expressed that after the end of the period of operation, hogweed crops would be difficult to limit or destroy and that it could turn into a malicious weed of fields, since it is capable of propagation by self-sowing. These fears have now come true.

The danger of hogweed is that all parts of the plant contain furocoumarins - substances that sharply increase the body's sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation. Contact with stems, leaves, and flowers of hogweed leads to burns on the skin. The areas of the body that receive the juice soon begin to itch and turn red. The skin swells and after two weeks begins to peel. Dark pigment spots remain as a memory, lasting up to six months, and in more severe cases, for life.

Hogweed causes the most severe phytoburns when it comes into contact with a wet body on hot sunny days. But to get a burn, short and mild sun exposure to an area of ​​skin stained with plant sap is sufficient. Doctors say that blisters from contact with hogweed can appear either after a few hours or after a few days. The main victims of hogweed thickets were and remain children.

It is not only the residents of Russia who suffer from the poisonous “Hercules”. In Estonia, for example, the Ministry of Environmental Protection even began developing a set of measures aimed at its destruction. And you can defeat the insidious plant only by mechanical means: for example, by digging it up one by one in wet weather or by flooding it for 47 days. Many people try to mow the plant before the seeds ripen, but the hogweed is so tenacious that it needs to be mowed three times during the summer while still in its tender lettuce form, cutting off the main stem to 10 cm from the ground. And so for three or four summers in a row - this is how long the seeds do not lose their germination. Moreover, hogweed has protected itself from a man with a scythe - it grows along hummocks, ditches, river banks and forest edges.

To avoid contact with hogweed, you need to promptly recognize the dangerous plant and stay away from it. But if a “collision” does occur, you must immediately blot the juice with a handkerchief or napkin, without smearing it, and immediately cover the affected area from the sun with several layers of fabric (clothing or bandage). At home, you should thoroughly wash the area of ​​contact with hogweed poison with soap and water or alcohol. Parts of the body after contact with juice or plant should be protected from sunlight for two days. If the contact occurred in the dark and no measures were taken, then when the skin is irradiated the next day clinical symptoms are the same as with damage during the day. The cunning of hogweed lies in the fact that if you do not notice in time that the poison gets on the skin, then it is too late to do anything.

Our Moscow region has always pleased us with mushrooms and rivers, but this is still the case. Currently, a very dangerous enemy of humans has spread in the fields and edges of the forest - a poisonous plant called Hogweed. It is sometimes difficult and even dangerous to pass through two-meter thickets. But what if you got a dacha with this “comrade”? Let's figure out what the reason is and how to deal with this problem.

What is Hogweed?

Hogweed Sosnowski or Heracleum- a species of plant from the umbrella family of very large sizes. Usually its height is 1-2 meters, but specimens up to 3 meters high are often found.

Biennial plant or perennial, monocarpic (that is, it blooms and bears fruit once in its life, after which it dies). The stem is furrowed-ribbed, rough, partially hairy, purple or with purple spots, bears very large trifoliate or pinnately dissected leaves, usually yellowish-green in color. It has a root tap system, the bulk of the roots are located in a layer of up to 0.3 meters, individual roots reach a depth of two meters.

Another type of Hogweed that we remember from childhood is the Siberian Hogweed - an umbellate perennial edible plant. It is often called a beam in Russia. The core of the stem is quite edible and has a slightly sweet taste.

History of the spread of Hogweed Sosnowski

Hogweed was already well known in Ancient Rome. Pliny the Elder called it “Heracleum”, thereby emphasizing its power and durability.

How did Hogweed appear on Russian territory? In the early Stalin times The USSR began to actively cooperate with the USA. We also adopted best practices. There was nothing to feed livestock in the post-war period, so we looked at American farmers.

In the USSR, hogweed was artificially sown to feed livestock, and then its uncontrolled self-propagation began. In the 1990s, the cultivation of hogweed was abandoned. Currently, in Russia it is widespread in the Moscow region, Tatarstan, and the Caucasus.

What is the danger?

Hogweed is a poisonous plant. Only when a small drop of juice gets on an open area of ​​skin does a person get burns.

During the growing season, the stem of hogweed contains furanocoumarins, which cause severe dermatitis in humans and animals. Its effect is similar to a burn. As soon as you carelessly touch the hogweed, large blisters swell on the skin, which over time turn into dark, painful spots and scars. The lesions take a very long time to heal - 3-6 months.

The burn can recur spontaneously after some time, as soon as the person sunbathes a little. If large areas of skin are exposed to hogweed, death is possible (this often happens to children). But it’s not any easier for adults either. The pain from hogweed burns is very painful and long-lasting.

Heraclium can cause blindness if its juice gets into your eyes. The ubiquitous children are especially often victims of this giant weed.

How to deal with hogweed?

In fact, this problem needs to be solved not even at the level local authorities, and the whole world. Only a full-scale comprehensive annual company can reduce it

There are methods to combat hogweed:

Use of herbicide. Roundup can be used against hogweed. Dilute 100 ml per 4 liters of water. The resulting solution is sprayed onto the young leaves of the hogweed. Four liters are enough for about 80 square meters. meters of hogweed thickets. The first generation of the plant is killed by 75%.

Mowing thickets. When mowing this grass, you need to be extremely careful: wear thick clothing, cover your hands and face. By mowing plants before flowering, you can prevent flowering and seed formation. However, old seeds in the ground will try to break through and bloom for 12 years.

Sowing the lawn. We mow down the hogweed. We spread geo-textile on top. Pour a five-centimeter layer of soil. And we plant strong lawn grass there, not sparing the seeds. You need to make sure that the hogweed does not bloom nearby and does not shed new seeds.

Black film. To set up a real vegetable garden, in the first year in the spring, cover the entire area with a black film with a thickness of at least 100 microns. Press something on top. In the second year, starting in mid-June, remove the film. Dig up the soil and plant vegetables. Please note that the film should remain on the site all year round.

Precautions when working with hogweed

• Apply sunscreen;


• Prepare water and soap;


• Do not touch the plant with exposed areas of the body;


• Work only with long, waterproof gloves;


• Wear trousers and jackets with long sleeves and water-resistant materials;


• Put boots on your feet;


• We use safety glasses;


• After finishing work, wash the tools;


• Wash your clothes; Do not use trimmers or hedge trimmers;


• If you work in pairs with someone, then work away from each other.

What to do if Hogweed juice gets on you?

If contact with hogweed juice occurs, the contact areas must be washed laundry soap. If blisters appear, measures are taken that are always prescribed after burns.

Latin name: Heracleum sosnowskyi.

Family: Umbrella

The plant received its name in honor of flora researcher D.I. Sosnovsky, who artificially bred this species from wild Caucasian grass. The purpose of breeding was to obtain a silage crop that is easy to grow and produces a large volume of juicy greens.

Due to mass cultivation, Hogweed is widespread not only in the countries of the former USSR, but also in other countries. At the moment, there is no exact data on the localization of the plant.

It grows almost everywhere: along roads, in floodplains, in fields, forest edges, wastelands, on mountain slopes and in other places. In fact, the plant is so resilient that it grows in any conditions.

Sosnovsky's hogweed contains a large amount of essential oils, which contain photosensitizing substances. If they come into contact with the skin, they cause severe burns. The plant is most dangerous on hot days, when it releases a large amount of essential oils. This plant began to be cultivated under Stalin, but subsequently it was abandoned due to the above circumstances.

Hogweed can grow up to 4 meters in height - it is a giant plant with dark green trifoliate or pinnately dissected leaves and a huge umbrella inflorescence. The diameter of such a “flower” is about 80 cm. The flowers are white or pink; there are more than 80 thousand flowers on one umbrella. Blooms from July to August. The root system is taprooted, individual roots can go to a depth of up to two meters.

Sosnovsky's hogweed is a perennial plant, monocarpic (it blooms and bears fruit only once, after which the plant dies). Life expectancy is about 3-5 years, provided that no outside factors interfere with his life. If the plant is cut before flowering, its lifespan is extended.

The plant reproduces exclusively with the help of seeds; vegetative propagation is impossible. In most cases, Sosnowski's Hogweed is pollinated by bees, but this is not necessary; some flowers are self-fertilized and are able to sprout.

After contact with Hogweed, you must thoroughly wash the affected areas with soap, protect the affected area from sunlight, or treat it with a solution of potassium permanganate or alcohol. Each person's reaction to the plant is individual, so great care should be taken when coming into contact with it. If the burn is very severe or mucous membranes get into the affected area, then you should as soon as possible consult a doctor. Delay can lead to serious consequences, in some cases to death.