What you think is Hogweed is most likely just Cow Parsnip.
That according to the Invasive Species Awareness Program, which says, while they’ve had more reports of Giant Hogweed in northern Ontario than usual this year, nearly all reports have come back as Cow Parsnip.
Alison Kirkpatrick, invasive species outreach liasion, says that doesn’t mean Giant Hogweed isn’t in our area, noting so far this summer the most northern report of the dangerous plant has been in Kapuskasing.
Kirkpatrick adds that both plants are in the same family, so while Cow Parsnip is a native species to Ontario, it can be equally as dangerous.
