Japanese knotweed may look nice, but it poses a threat to native flora - and growing it is illegal.Japanese knotweed may look nice, but it poses a threat to native flora - and growing it is illegal.
Japanese knotweed may look nice, but it poses a threat to native flora - and growing it is illegal.

Japanese knotweed hotspots in Derbyshire: UK's most invasive plant

Japanese knotweed, an invasive species of plant, affects up to 5% of households across the UK.

Japanese knotwood is a problematic plant in the UK.

It’s very hardy and can grow in very harsh circumstances – even through concrete, which can cause structural damage to buildings.

Research by Environet UK has pinpointed all the locations across Derbyshire with the highest volumes of knotweed infestations. If you find any Japanese knotweed growing in your garden, it’s a good idea to call an expert – it’s very difficult to remove by yourself and it grows startlingly quickly.

The roots of a Japanese knotweed plant can grow three metres into the ground and seven metres across – it’s easy to see why this invasive plant is so feared.

Nic Seal, Managing Director of Environet, had this to say: “By publishing the 2022 hotspots for Derbyshire we hope to raise awareness and encourage people in the area to be vigilant for signs of knotweed as the growing season takes off, so they can act quickly if needed.

"Anyone living near or moving to one of these hotspots would be wise to check their garden carefully, enter their postcode into Exposed to find out how many known occurrences are nearby and if in doubt, seek expert help.”

If you find a suspicious-looking plant and you’re not sure what it is, check out the identification guide on Environet’s website or use the free ID service by sending a photo to [email protected]

Once knotweed is confirmed, commission a professional Japanese knotweed survey to find out the extent of the infestation, where it originated and the best way to tackle it.

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