Free food Hogweed

[stevecurtis]

Reading on the net about free food Hogweed came highly rated as a veg,then later when finding info on my Hogweed photo I was surprised to find that it can hybridise with Giant Hogweed, this must make it a very dangerous plant to eat or when it hybridizes does it loose its toxins, anyone any thoughts or facts.

All the best Steve

[Dorts]

Hogweed, as you rightly say is edible. The young shoots, the flowers and seeds are eaten after cooking.
The danger with Giant Hogweed is that it posseses hairs that exude a clear watery sap that sensitises the skin to ultraviolet radiation which can result in severe burns. Though research sugests that when cooked it is also edible. The problem would be handling it.
Giant Hogweed is by no means common, so as long as you picked ordinary Hogweed with no 'strange looking' plants nearby, I think you would be quite safe.
As with eating any wild plant, it is a matter of common sense; if you're not happy about it, don't eat it!
Dorts.

[stevecurtis]

Thank you Dorts very intresting i did not know why it burnt the skin.

all the best steve