Mystery Plant

[Fishy Cover]

Can anyone identify this plant? It is now over 7 feet tall.

I think my wife traded the cow for beans and planted the beans but she insists that ths is a flower she planted and just forgot the name.

Any help will be appreciated

[Onshore]

It looks like something from the same family as Giant Hogweed, which is a very nasty invasive species. It has been found in parts of New England but I'm not certain if it has made it to NH. If you contact Doug Cygan at the at the NH Dept of Agriculture at (603)271-3488 he would be willing to look at it and help you positively ID it.

[Grant]

Ever see "Little Shop of Horrors"???

[Zee]

This plant looks very much like a plant we have at our home in central Mass. If it is, I would caution you to be careful. My husband has tried to remove it and got some nasty white bumps on his skin. I don't know what it is called.

[Onshore]

The plant you are describing is most likely Giant Hogweed.

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/cipwg/giant_hogweed.html

It is definately not something we want to allow to get established in NH.

[lakegirl]

Here is another link for you to look at:
http://www.mass.gov/agr/pestalert/giant_hogweed.htm

Good Luck!!! :eek:

[Fishy Cover]

Thanks for the warning and references. I have compared the photos and look alikes in the references and what I have does not seem to match perfectly. Nevertheless it is a scary plant and I'll remove it immediately, and safely. Many thanks for your advice.

Next-- any suggestions about getting my cow back?

[Spider Girl]

May I ask if the flowers have a very sweet scent? If they do, it could be an old fashioned perennial like the one I have in my garden. It is not particularly invasive, always flowers at the same time as the peonies, and adds a nice frangrance to any bouquet.

[Lakewinniboater]

It actually looks more like "Queen Ann's Lace". This is what a lot of florists use as filler for arrangements. (in the smaller variety of course)

It smells rather horrible too.

[Fishy Cover]

Doug Cygan of NH Dept of Agriculture visited today and identified the mystery pland as a Water Parsnip. It is from the same family as the Giant Hogweed, but smaller and needs to be destroyed carefully because the sap is phototoxic.

We have young grandchildren and am relieved that they will not be at risk because of this. We have absolutely no idea how the seed for this plant arrived in our little flower garden. We have never seen it in our neighborhood, so perhaps it came in a flat with flowers we purchased.

Many thanks to Doug Cygan and to other forum viewers for your advice.

[SAMIAM]

The bottom photo looked like the leaves of the devil ganji.....you might want to check with your kids........if they're giggling and eating everything in sight.....that will be the clue. :cool: