HOW DID JAPANESE KNOTWEED REACH THE UK?

Approximately 5% of homes across the UK are affected by Japanese knotweed, either directly or are affected by a neighbouring property, this can impacting property prices up to 10%.

So, how did Japanese knotweed get to the UK?

Japanese knotweed originated in Japan whilst also being a native ‘plant’ in China and Korea. But during the Victorian era, Philip von Siebold brought Japanese knotweed to the UK, not knowing about all the negative impact it would have in years to come. In fact, when the weed was first imported to England, it was the upper class who took the most interest in purchasing this invasive plant. At the time, the strange, shaped leaves were ‘fashionable’ which is the reason as to why it sparked popularity amongst the wealthier class.

HOW DID IT SPREAD ACROSS THE UK?

Although the initial spread of the weed was due to a lot of the population purchasing the plant and distributing it around the country, this is not the only contributor.

Japanese knotweed’s rhizomes are also one of the main reasons why the growth around the UK happened so suddenly. Segments of the root are capable of travelling far from their origin point and developing into completely new plants of their own. This can be the result of animals eating them or the rhizome being spread through the movement of earth from one location to another. This means that you could import just one of the species to the UK and it having a similar impact. Even without the public purchasing the weed.

WHAT WE KNOW NOW.

In 1981, Japanese Knotweed was finally declared as a pest species that is highly invasive. Also, it’s illegal to allow it to grow in the wild. Nine years later in 1990, the UK deemed Japanese knotweed as controlled waste where improper disposal is a criminal offence. Today, you need a specially licensed facility to discard of Japanese knotweed legally.

Japanese Knotweed Expert provide a range of different Japanese Knotweed removal services, suitable for both residential and commercial properties.

If you need Japanese Knotweed removal services on your property, then get into contact with us!

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