Giant hogweed. Image: Sorbus sapiens / Flickr

Sheesh, and you thought Asian carp are threatening invaders.

WKAR public radio in East Lansing, Mich., has a great interview with a botanist taking on a giant hogweed given to a Michigan resident. The Asian invasive can grow up to 14 feet tall and sports flowers that are two-feet across.

So what’s the big deal?

Well, as botanist Peter Carrington explains, chemicals on the outside of the plant can cause huge fluid-filled blisters to erupt on your skin. You can be burned by simply brushing against it.

“While this is a cosmetic disaster on your skin, if these products ever make it to your eyeballs, they can cause temporary, or in the worst case scenario, permanent blindness,” Carrington tells WKAR.

Yikes. Talk about human health hazards of invasive species. This one puts into perspective those cuts on your feet from zebra mussel shells littering the beach.