MUSKOKA LAKES - Hogweed is a painful reality for Mike Webb, one
that still scars his memory nine years later. Giant hogweed can
cause severe burns when its sap touches the skin and the sun
hits it. It can also cause blindness if it comes in contact with
the eyes. Use extreme care to eradicate. As spring arrives in
Muskoka, invasive plant species become a concern. One that is
getting a lot of attention in Muskoka Lakes is Giant Hogweed.
Webb, a Bala resident, experienced the plant’s effects first-
hand when he was the grounds worker at Bala Golf Club about
eight years ago. “One afternoon I ended up harvesting piles of
the stuff,” said Webb. He had burns for months. He said it
looked like poison ivy and felt like burns. “My arms actually
turned black,” he said. He said the first three days were the
worst because he didn’t know what it was. His neighbour clued
him in. Giant hogweed can cause severe burns when its sap
touches the skin and the sun hits it. It can also cause
blindness if it comes in contact with the