For Kristina Kallies, who's a mother of 2 in Sheboygan, giant hogweed is something she's never heard of.
"It's very scary because I have two kids and one with special needs so I have to be very careful," said Kallies.
Giant hogweed was found in Sheboygan over the weekend. It's a plant that can be very dangerous to people.
"I know people that have scars on their arms and on their legs where the blisters really didn't heal well," said Applied Ecological Services senior ecologist, Steve Apfelbaum.
The plant can grow 15-20 feet tall. Just the leaves along can be up to 3 feet and they contain a chemical that reacts with the sun causing painful blisters and even scarring.
"It suppresses the plant life around it by the shade it casts and also very likely by chemicals that exude from its leaves and roots," said Apfelbaum.
Giant hogweed doesn't need much to grow, in fact it can grow right along side of roadways.
"It makes them a threat to our homes and our yards and also to the economics of our state," said Apfelbaum.
In Sheboygan the DNR and Applied Ecological Services chopped and treated more than 800 plants trying to prevent the spread to other areas. Giant hogweed has been reported in Waupaca and Manitowoc counties in previous years.
