Please send suspect giant hogweed plants to the UI Plant Clinic

Suspect specimens should be sent to the University of Illinois Plant Clinic for further identification. The UI Plant Clinic will accept potential hogweed specimens, without charge, until the first hard frost. Please follow the procedures below when sending samples.


Submitting a Potential Giant Hogweed Sample

Please use caution when handling potential hogweed plants. Care should be taken to use protective eye wear, rubber gloves, long sleeves and pants to avoid sap to skin contact.
If possible, try to prescreen plants at your local Extension office. There are several plants that are similar to giant hogweed. Is this sample one?
If sample does not look like one of the plants on the look-a-like sheet, please prepare sample to send to the UI Plant Clinic.
Try to submit a complete leaf for identification. Flowers are also very helpful. Stems or seeds alone are often not enough to make a definitive identification.
Sample should be first put in a garbage bag, a moist paper towel will keep the specimen fresh.
Please fill out the giant hogweed information sheet to aid the identifier at the Plant Clinic.
Please clearly mark HOGWEED SAMPLE on the outside of the mailing package.
Pictures are helpful too! Photos that illustrate flowers, leaf bases, and leaf sheaths would be beneficial and can be included in the sample.
If you have any questions please contact the UI Plant Clinic:

Phone: 217-333-0519
http://plantclinic.cropsci.uiuc.edu/


Address samples to:
Plant Clinic
1401 W. St. Mary’s Road
Urbana, IL 61802