Another plant you really want to avoid touching is the wild parsnip. These look related to the aforementioned giant hogweed, ...

Originally from Eurasia, giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) was imported into the American heartland for ornamental planting. It has since spread to stream banks, tree lines, and yards.

Stretching up to 10 feet or taller, giant hogweed can be identified by its clusters of small white flowers, its hollow stalks covered by coarse hairs and purplish spots and its green, jagged leaves.

The Giant Hogweed Mitigation Project’s founder John Kemp learned about the plant — which can grow up to 18 feet tall and ...