Mechanical Management

CAUTION: The sap from this plant is dangerous. If it gets on your skin and you are exposed to the sun, it can cause severe burns. Always wear thick gloves and long pants and shirts.

Manual treatment can be moderately to highly effective for giant hogweed

Giant hogweed leafs out very early compared to most native vegetation, thus making it easy to detect. It is beneficial to manually remove this plant before it begins flowering later in the growing season

Hand Pulling/Digging

• Pull entire plant by the base of the stem or dig roots with a shovel
• Be sure to remove entire root system
• Dry all vegetation (most importantly roots) or collect vegetation and dispose of in a landfill

Mowing/cutting

• Cut at least 1 time before seeds appear (until July)
• Repeat for 3-5 years

Chemical Management

Active ingredients commonly used in herbicides: Glyphosate or triclopyr.

• Be careful not to damage or kill nearby native plants when conducting management work.
• Always read and follow pesticide label directions. Application of pesticides may require a certification from the Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets. The Agency website provides information on what applicator certification is needed.

If foliar spraying only:

• Foliar spray later in the summer (June-mid July)
• Spray leaf surfaces with low volume backpack sprayer, or high volume mist blower

Low Volume Backpack Sprayer

• Herbicides (active ingredient): glyphosate or triclopyr with surfactant
• Used to giant hogweed plants and minimize drift to desirable species