Common Hogweed - keep or remove?

siwanrhys

I've discovered two Common Hogweed plants are growing in my wildflower meadow. Google is very confusing on the subject because of the dangerous "Giant Hogweed" (which I'm pretty sure this isn't). Do I need to be worried about Common Hogweed? Should I remove it or leave it to flourish?
Thanks!

raisingirl

If it's definitely not the giant one and if you have the room - even the not giant one is pretty big - it's not dangerous. It self seeds fairly freely but it's not especially troublesome, IME, compared to docks or nettles or thistles. Or even cow parsley.

Dovefromabove

I spent half my childhood gathering arms full of Common Hogweed for the pet rabbits and house goats on the farm when I was a child. Absolutely no problems ... and the flowers and seedheads are just as beautiful as Angelica gigas and ammi and all the other umbellifers that cost a bomb, and it’s loved by the fantastic hoverflies etc.

You may even find that you’ve got some of the darker leaved form ... a chunkier version of its cousin Anthriscus sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’. 

A gorgeous thing if you appreciate statuesque beauties.

I’d keep it

Jellyfire

I let it grow, its a lovely impressive umbellifer. I usually take the flowerheads off before the seeds ripen (it still manages to pop up all over though.) Never had a reaction to the sap but I believe some people do, not to the extent of giant hogweed though 

Canary27

I'm not sure that this is common hogweed. Can anyone confirm? Two plants have mysteriously appeared in my garden. Before I decide what do about them (if anything),

it would help to have a definite identification. 

Dovefromabove

Definitely Common Hogweed. 

😊 

Fairygirl

You would soon know if it was Giant Hogweed