- Wiesen-Bärenklau - a natural beauty introduces itself
- Giant Bear Claw - ornamental and nasty at the same time
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The increasing interest in a natural garden design draws attention to native and immigrated wild perennials. This guide focuses on two species of hogweed. Get to know two conspecifics better, as they could not be more different.
The meadow hogweed is popular with insects and humans alike
Wiesen-Bärenklau - a natural beauty introduces itself
In nature reserves, Wiesen-Bärenklau is now a familiar sight again. After the excessive use of pesticides caused the native wild perennial to fall into oblivion, it is making its way back wherever toxic herbicides are not used. The following profile summarizes the most important characteristics of natural beauty:
- Botanical name: Heracleum sphondylium
- Area of distribution: Europe, mainly in rich meadows, alluvial forests and herbaceous areas
- Growth height: 50 to 100 cm, rarely up to 150 cm
- Strong, hollow stems, angularly furrowed and hairy
- White to light pink disc flowers in double umbels from June to October
- Green, large leaves, mostly three-pinnate
The young leaves are an important part of the Eastern European soup specialty borscht. The traditional use as a wild vegetable is an important indication of the harmlessness of the plant. Only sensitive people can react to touching the hairy stems with skin irritation.
Giant Bear Claw - ornamental and nasty at the same time
While meadow hogweed is enjoying increasing popularity, urgent warnings about a conspecific are circulating. Giant Bear Claw combines ornamental growth with toxic components and an aggressive spread. Outstanding characteristics are bundled in the following profile:
- Botanical name: Heracleum mantegazzianum
- Distribution area: Caucasus, a neophyte that migrated to Europe
- Growth height: 150 to 300 cm, rarely up to 400 cm
- Up to 10 cm thick, hollow, hairy stem with red spots
- White to whitish-green disc flowers with a diameter of 30 to 50 cm from June to July
- Large, green leaves, in threes, fives or nines, up to 300 cm long
- Poisonous
The high poison content of giant hogweed is based on various ingredients that, in combination with sunlight, can cause severe skin burns. A single specimen produces up to 80,000 seeds, which has led to invasive spread. Gardeners are therefore called upon to remove the plant promptly.
tips
Regardless of the German name Wahrer Bärenklau, this plant does not belong to the Bärenklau species. Rather, it is a Mediterranean wild perennial that is assigned to the genus Acanthus under the botanical name acanthus mollis.