Some people may look at Japanese knotweed as a beautiful, ornamental plant. After all, that's one of the reasons it was brought to the country in the first place! Planting Japanese knotweed on your property is forbidden for a number of reasons. However, when you realise how damaging Japanese knotweed can be, you'll probably wish you never considered planting it anyway.
Photo by Leonora Enking (View Original)
You'll remember from our blog - What Damage Can Japanese Knotweed Do? - that Japanese knotweed can make it difficult to sell your home, can cause structural damage to buildings and roads and can even disrupt cables and block drains. This plant is likely to cause you a great deal of hassle, so why you'd want to plant it is a mystery!
Is planting Japanese knotweed illegal?
The laws around Japanese knotweed are pretty simple. It is not illegal to have Japanese knotweed on your property, but it is illegal to allow it to spread into the wild or on to neighbouring properties. If Japanese knotweed spreads from your property, you can face fines or even a court case.
So, technically, it's not illegal to plant Japanese knotweed on your own property, but the moment it spreads outside of your property you are breaking the law. As we've mentioned, there are so many reasons why planting Japanese knotweed on your property is un-advisable. In fact, if you happen to come across Japanese knotweed on your property, we advise that you have it removed as soon as possible.
No matter how hard you try, it's impossible to say with assurance that you can keep a Japanese knotweed plan confined to your own property. Japanese knotweed has a tendency to grow quickly and without limits. It will take advantage of the tiniest weaknesses and spread abundantly if it's left unchecked.
Don't encourage, eradicate!
Our advice? Forget about planting Japanese knotweed. There are hundreds of other plants out there that offer ornamental charm and won't damage your property or cause you problems in the long run. Stick to plants you can find at your local garden centre rather than encouraging Japanese knotweed to grow.
We have a range of Japanese knotweed treatment packages that can help you to eradicate this bothersome plant! So, if you see Japanese knotweed on your property, get in touch!
Japanese Knotweed Treatments >
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