Beware the giant hogweed.
Named after the Roman hero Hercules, Heracleum mantegazzianum captures attention with its impressive foliage: huge, sharply lobed leaves; hollow, hairy, purple-splotched stems, four inches in diameter; and towering umbrella-shaped white flowers that bloom in late spring.
But an informed person will resist hogweed's allure, giving the plant a wide berth — and alerting the authorities.