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Thirty One Invasive Cases Of Aggressive, & Destructive Knotweed Identified Locally

Knotweed is described by the Environment Agency as “indisputably the UK’s most aggressive, destructive and invasive plant”.

31 known cases of Japanese Knotweed have currently been identified by Environet UK within 4km of Lytham St.Anne’s. With a powerful root and rhizome system, which extends deep into the ground, knotweed is notoriously difficult to treat or remove without professional help. It is described by the Royal Horticultural Society as ‘a fast-growing and strong clump-forming perennial, with tall, dense annual stems.’

Residents have been warned to be on the lookout for the plant which can spread its way into homes and buildings, pushing through patios and pavements. It can also take over people’s allotments and infest public parks, golf courses,  bowling greens and sports pitches.  Failure to treat Knotweed could result in residents’ property being damaged and devalued.

The species was first introduced to Britain by the Victorians in the 1840s when a specimen was imported by Kew Gardens. The plant spread across the country over the coming decades, with botanists reporting sightings in the wild in London in 1900, in Exeter by 1908, in Suffolk by 1924, in West Yorkshire by 1940s and as far north as Northumberland by the 1950s.

Environet UK say they are  experts in invasive plants and have created a ‘heat map’ of Japanese Knotweed which dramatically shows where it is prevalent. To view the map go to: https://www.environetuk.com/exposed-japanese-knotweed-heat-map

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