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Original poster

Identify this wild plant at my train station?

30 replies

Mummy08m · 27/06/2023 14:59

This is just for my interest really.

The embankment to my local train station is very green and has lots of birds etc. I like looking at the plants. I saw this interesting plant with green berries on that I've never seen before, it just looks so exotic to me, almost like a grape! Anyone know what it is?

This is in South London if that helps, not rural or anything. The berries are quite small like just over 1cm diameter

Identify this wild plant at my train station?
OP posts:
Original poster
Mummy08m · 28/06/2023 18:01

MereDintofPandiculation · 28/06/2023 17:20

Giant Hogweed , Heracleum mantegazzianum, is an invasive alien which is among several plants able to cause a photosensitive rash. I think there's justification for trying to remove it in the UK. It's not illegal to grow it, but it is illegal to let it spread on to someone else's land. It is a magnificent plant.

Hogweed, Heracleum spondylium, is a UK native, which can grow to 2m high, which is why people who don't look at leaf or flower details mistake it for Giant Hogweed.

I've got a small area of photosensitive rash, acquired from a Euphorbia - each year it reappears if it gets a heavy dose of sun. Doesn't cause me any pain or itching, unlike the Giant Hogweed rash which can cause alarming blisters.

Ahh I see, yes non-native plants can definitely be bad for native ones I did know that.

Sorry to hear about your euphorbia rash, I've got a patch of that in my garden (it's a mature garden that came ready with the house). I'll make sure to wear gloves!

OP posts:
MereDintofPandiculation · 28/06/2023 18:45

Sorry to hear about your euphorbia rash, I've got a patch of that in my garden (it's a mature garden that came ready with the house). I'll make sure to wear gloves! My rash is just above my ankle Grin

Geneticsbunny · 29/06/2023 09:50

Giant hogweed has red/ brown spots on the stems. We inherited a garden full of it. Very beautiful but we are 5 years in and still haven't totally got rid of it!

IcakethereforeIam · 29/06/2023 11:42

Bit of a detour, but I read an article yesterday about a couple in Pembrokeshire who have a beaver(!). They seem very pleased with him. He had felled some trees but, they say, now it's summer he's eating waterlilies and 'hogweed*'.

*Unless they used an app to id it and it's actually carrot.

MereDintofPandiculation · 29/06/2023 15:39

IcakethereforeIam · 29/06/2023 11:42

Bit of a detour, but I read an article yesterday about a couple in Pembrokeshire who have a beaver(!). They seem very pleased with him. He had felled some trees but, they say, now it's summer he's eating waterlilies and 'hogweed*'.

*Unless they used an app to id it and it's actually carrot.

No problem if he's eating Hogweed, it's a common wild flower. The one that causes problems is Gient Hogweed, which is a totally different species.

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