Giant Hogweed: A Plant That Can Burn and Blind You. But Don’t Panic.

The nasty effects of touching a giant hogweed — its sap can scar, burn and blind if you come in contact with it — have inspired frightening headlines after the recent discovery of the first confirmed population of the plant in Virginia.

The invasive plant’s nefarious reputation is amplified by its size: Giant hogweed can grow to more than 14 feet tall, with leaves 5 feet wide and stems between 2 and 4 inches in diameter.

The message from experts, however, is not so ominous.

Yes, coming into contact with giant hogweed can be dangerous, and in some parts of the country, particularly New York, the plant is widespread.

It is native to the Caucasus Mountains and Southwest Asia, and was brought to the United States for use as an ornamental plant around 1917, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Giant hogweed can be found along roadsides and streams and in fields and forests. It likes areas with moist soil that get a lot of sunlight, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

It has been found in Maine, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Vermont and Washington, CBS News reported.

But it is believed to be most populous in New York and has been found in nearly every county in the state, said Rob Williams, a conservation practitioner with a New York chapter of the Nature Conservancy.

More than 1,300 sites were identified in the state as of mid-March, according to the conservation department. That is up from 950 in 2011.

Officials use herbicides and cut the plants’ roots, among other methods, to try to eradicate them. The number of sites that have been eradicated has risen to almost 500 in 2017, from 55 in 2011.

“I think we’re gaining ground on it,” Williams said. “But we just need to educate people about what it looks like and to stay away from it.”

There do not appear to be any confirmed reports of the plant in New York City, according to state data.

Experts said the likelihood that the average person will stumble onto one of these plants and be covered in their sap is low and not everyone exposed to the plant will have a reaction.

The gigantic plants are distinctive and can be easily avoided, though Williams said many people are intrigued by their size and shape.

“If you are out and about, and you’re hiking around and you’re going to parks, you’re probably never going to come into contact with it,” said Martha A. Case, a biology professor at the College of William and Mary and college conservator of botanical collections.

“It really is a monster,” Case said. “I don’t know how you would get it on you. You would really have to walk into it in a big way.”

It is not clear how giant hogweed spreads, Case said, but the seeds could be carried by streams. For years, giant hogweed could be purchased at stores, and many populations were planted by humans who were attracted to its looks.

The plants found in Virginia were thought to have been planted 30 years ago and were discovered by a new landowner. A researcher at Virginia Tech called it an “isolated incident.”

Many populations are found by ordinary people who spot an extraordinary looking plant and call researchers.

Whether the plant harms someone depends on the individual.

It contains specific compounds that react with the ultraviolet rays in sunlight, Case said. That reaction can, in turn, cause irritation and burn your skin. The reaction would likely occur one or more days after its sap gets on the skin.

Case, who helped discover a population in Michigan, said she and others who handled the plant did not have any reactions. She said it could depend on each person’s biology and sensitivity.

Giant hogweed can be confused with other similar looking relatives, like Queen Anne’s lace and cow parsnip, which can also cause adverse reactions.

“I would say even in a broader sense, just learn about that plant family,” Case said. “Just take wise precautions to recognize that family and not start pulling it up with your hands.”