No giant hogweed in Beaver Creek Park

Courtesy photo/Oregon State University

This photo shows a cow parsnip plant, which is common across most of North America and widespread in Beaver Creek Park. It is related to the dangerous giant hogweed, but is harmless to the touch.

The rumors of an aggressive and dangerous weed invading Montana and Beaver Creek Park are unfounded.

Terry Turner, Hill County Weed District supervisor, said a week-and-a-half ago that he had received a call reporting a sighting of what could be giant hogweed in the Havre Police Protective Association's campground in Beaver Creek Park.

He said at the time of the call he would have to find what the caller was talking about and take a sample to be analyzed in Bozeman.

According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture, the concern about giant hogweed comes from the plant's sap "that makes the skin sensitive to ultra violet light. This can result in burns to the affected areas, producing swelling and severe, painful blistering. "

In the U. S., it has only been reported in Washington, Oregon, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticutt and Maine, never in Montana.

Earlier this week Turner said they had found that the plant in the park was not the hogweed. He suspected someone may have had a reaction after shredding cow parsnip, a relative of hogweed native to North America, and getting some of that plant on their skin.

The cow parsnip that is in the park can cause some, albeit lesser, irritation on contact with skin, but Beaver Creek Park is safe from foreign invading plants, for now.