Went to a meeting outside town today - and on my way back to the office I passed by a large field (at least 2 x 20 meters) of giant hogweed plants in bloom.
Giant hogweed (in Danish "Bjørneklo", in Latin "Heracleum mantegazzianum") is a beautiful plant when in bloom, and long after the flowers have gone you can still see the big dried out umbels rising above the land - but it is also an unwanted invasive plant.
It originates from the Caucasus Mountains between the Black and Caspian seas by Russia, and made its way to Denmark around 1870 probably via birds or waterways carrying the seeds.
The plant sap is toxic (it causes severe burns if it touches your skin), and it's also considered a noxious weed in Denmark, and therefore the Danish government try to prevent it from spreading further by imposing laws on landowners committing them to remove it when found - clearly not all landowners pay heed to these laws...
I think I just posted a picture of the same flower, or at least of a relative seeing as we live on different continents. Like your all over texture take on it.
