WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. -- Parts of Watauga County are now dealing with a toxic weed that can cause severe burns and in worst cases, blindness.

• Plant can grow up to 15 feet tall
• Can cause burns and blindness if it touches you
• Seeds from the plant can lay dormant for 10 years

Officials say it is spreading fast in different areas.

“We have Weed Eated [sic] it, chopped it down, tried to get rid of, found it and cut it down quite a bit,” Vilas resident Gail Robinson said.

Chad Taylor with the Department of Agriculture hunts and kills the toxic weed around Watauga County.

“One of the leaves was 2 feet long, 2 feet wide. They can get around 15 feet tall around here. The tallest I have seen is 7 feet,” Taylor said.

If the sap touches you, it can give you third-degree burns and even cause blindness. Taylor says if you think you see the plant to call them and they will come out and check. He advises people not to touch the plant, or even get too close to it.

“The seed can lay dormant for 10 years on the ground after the wind blows the seed off the pod,” he said.

This is one reason why it's so hard to kill it for good.