Here are Edinburgh's recorded hotspots for toxic giant hogweed plant which can blind and scar, as 80 reports made since 2018

And following recent concerns about giant hogweed growing on either side of a cycle path near industrial buildings just south of Gilmerton (not on council land), the Evening News asked the local authority for some of their known hotspots for the invasive species across the city.

The information, released under freedom of information laws, also shows that 80 reports have been made to the council since the start of 2018 about the weed, which can grow to a height of several metres and looks like a giant parsley stalk.

Among these reports, two people suffered injuries - one with blisters and another with an arm injury.

The city council has a controlled programme for giant hogweed and a team is responsible for responding to all reported incidents, as well as for controlling Japanese knotweed.

Giant hogweed was introduced to Scotland by horticulturalists as an ornamental plant in the 19th century - but it soon spread out of control.

Landowners are responsible for any giant hogweed growing on their land.

It is thought the coronavirus lockdown restrictions may have made managing the weed more difficult for those who would normally do so, allowing for the possibility of it spreading more quickly.

But figures released by the council under freedom of information on Tuesday show that 12 reports concerning giant hogweed were made in July, the same number as July last year.

Only 20 giant hogweed reports were made in Edinburgh this year compared to 36 last year and 24 in 2018, although it should be noted that lockdown has meant people leaving the house less often and for less time.

Giant hogweed ‘hotspots’

The council's information officer said reports made through their central records system are recorded but that those made to their parks and greenspace service are not.

Here are the giant hogweed locations in Edinburgh which have been recorded by the local authority;

Abbey Mount

Calder Road

Castle Gogar Rigg

Duddingston Road West

Eildon Street

Gordon Terrace

Gyle Park

Harrison Park East

Magdalene Glen

Norton Mains

Restalrig Circus

Restalrig Square

Seafield Street

Southhouse Road

Telferton

Tennant Street

West Savile Terrace

What to do if you touch giant hogweed

Stan Whitaker, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) advisor on invasive, non-native species, told the Evening News last month that giant hogweed is an issue in some areas of Scotland and urged landowners to to control it whenever possible - and come to them for advice if necessary.

Giant hogweed is not native to the UK and originates from the Caucasus Mountains and Central Asia.

According to the Woodland Trust website, it can now be found throughout much of the UK and often colonises river banks where its seeds are transported by the water. A good identifier of the species is its jagged leaves and green stems with purple blotches and stiff, white hairs. They also have a thick circle of hairs at the base of each leaf stalk.

The Woodland Trust’s advice, if you do get giant hogweed sap on your skin, is to wash the area thoroughly immediately, seek medical advice and to not expose the area to sunlight for a few days.

Chemicals in the sap can cause photodermatitis or photosensitivity, where the skin becomes very sensitive to sunlight and may suffer blistering, pigmentation and long-lasting scars.

According to several media reports in 2015, at least five children were left with severe burns after coming into contact with the plant in parks in Greater Manchester.

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