Members of the public are being urged to be careful after giant hogweed was spotted close to a walkway on the banks of the River Clyde and River Kelvin.
A concerned local spotted the weed while using the cycle paths along the water over the weekend. The hogweed is very dangerous to humans with its sap causing life-changing burns, blisters, and scarring.
The invasive weed can grow several metres in height and has been described as looking like a giant parsley stalk. Due to the bristling nature of the sap and its hairs, it's easy for people to brush up against giant hogweed without realising.
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Although not native to Scotland, giant hogweed has been detected in the country, mostly found alongside river banks on waste ground, and beside roads and train tracks. A concerned member of the public said he spotted "patches of tens to hundreds of plants at a time, often coming within touching distance of the path" along the Clyde and Kelvin.
He fears the plants could pose a threat to the public who are unaware of their risks and the children as there are no barriers between the plants and the path.
He added: "At the rate the council is tackling them, it's inevitably gonna be a game of whack-a-mole, as they're incredibly aggressive and fast-growing plants, and they're shedding seeds by the thousand right next to a huge river."
It was previously reported that the battle against hogweed was significantly impacted by lockdown as teams were unable to get ahead of them flowering. Glasgow City Council confirmed that work on hogweed did continue over the pandemic but there was disruption due to absence and working restrictions.
A council spokeswoman said: “Giant hogweed is a highly invasive plant and we apply herbicide to control growth when it is on council-owned land in locations where people might come into contact with it. We have a rolling programme to contain it in such locations. We are aware of hogweed in the spot mentioned and it’s on the programme to be treated.
“The plant can sometimes be confused with other types of vegetation, but anyone with concerns about suspected giant hogweed in a public place should report the exact location to the council via the website or MyGlasgow app.”
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