Beauty and danger sit side by side in a single bloom.

It looks harmless at first. The petals can be delicate, sometimes pale, sometimes bright, swaying softly in the breeze like any other wildflower. But brush against it, break its stem, or get too close, and this flower reveals its darker secret.
Known as giant hogweed, it isn’t just a weed or an oversized plant. Its clear sap contains chemicals that react violently with sunlight. On bare skin, it burns. In the eyes, it can strip away vision in a moment. It’s the kind of danger disguised as beauty that nature does best.