This may be a pest that you can't eliminate.
An invasive, non-native plant species has taken root and spread, threatening well-maintained yards and even the foundations of homes across the U.S. Midwest, Northwest and Northeast.
Japanese knotweed is a shrubby plant that was introduced to the US in the 1800s. The Wall Street JournalAnd while its summer flowers are breathtaking, they are merely a mirage that hides the devastation it wreaks.
With the ability to grow up to three feet per week, the looming plant infestation – whose stalks look like bamboo, With the ability to grow up to three feet per week, the looming plant infestation – whose stalks look like bamboo, With the ability to grow up to three feet per week, the looming plant infestation – whose stalks … CNY News — Spreading rapidly and nearly impossible to eradicate, they emerge in cracks in concrete or asphalt just when you think you have eliminated them.
An entire plant can grow from a small piece of root, and thrive in almost any conditions, Robert Nazzi, curator of North American botany at the New York Botanical Garden, told the Journal.
“You have to respect this plant,” Naczi said. “It's known to grow an inch per day in the spring.”
This plant can grow up to 15 feet tall.
Across the pond, homeowners in the UK must disclose when selling a home whether Japanese knotweed has taken root on the property or they could be sued if it spreads, according to the Journal. Knotweed insurance is also available for regular maintenance, though it's still damaging to their homes' values.
the daily mail There are now fears that the plant “threatens to catastrophically reduce the value of homes” in areas of the US where it may grow, the report said.
A Maine couple described to the Journal their painstaking efforts to rid their new home of knotweed, and how, years later, it still hadn’t disappeared.
According to the journal, there are several methods available to contain the plant or destroy it completely – such as mowing regularly or digging up the roots. Other experts may recommend cutting down the plant when it flowers and injecting it with herbicide, although a pesticide expert is recommended.
Researchers have discovered a special type of bug – Apalara Itadori – which is known for eating Japanese knotweed.
In 2020, scientists at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst were given permission to release them and monitor their effects, finding that they were successfully making a dent in the giant knotweed population, though it remains unclear how the organism will affect Japanese knotweed.
“I've never been so excited to see a plant suffering before,” Jeremy Anderson, a research assistant professor on the university's team, told the journal.
“It was like his life essence had been sucked out.”
