Japanese knotweed
Fallopia japonica
Summary 5
Fallopia japonica, synonym Reynoutria japonica, commonly known as Asian knotweed or Japanese knotweed, is a large, herbaceous perennial plant of the knotweed and buckwheat family Polygonaceae. It is native to East Asia in Japan, China and Korea. In North America and Europe the species is very successful and has been classified as an invasive species in several countries. In Australia, it is illegal to have any of this species growing on one's property.
At the Garden 6
This species is a common, persistent weed in many parts of the Garden, including along the Bronx River, around Twin Lakes, and in the Thain Family Forest.
Description 7
Japanese knotweed is an upright, shrublike, herbaceous perennial that can grow to over 10 feet in height. As with all members of this family, the base of the stem above each joint is surrounded by a membranous sheath. Stems of Japanese knotweed are smooth, stout and swollen at joints where the leaf meets the stem. Although leaf size may vary, they are normally about 6 inches long by 3 to 4 inches wide, broadly oval to somewhat triangular and pointed at the tip. The minute greenish-white flowers occur in attractive, branched sprays in summer and are followed soon after by small winged fruits. Seeds are triangular, shiny, and very small, about 1/10 inch long.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Marie Studer, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Marie Studer
- (c) megwilkinson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by megwilkinson
- (c) Migas, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fallopia-japonica(Fruechte).jpg
- (c) KENPEI, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fallopia_japonica1.jpg
- (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fallopia_japonica
- (c) bkmertz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
- Adapted by bkmertz from a work by (c) Unknown, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22948630
More Info
- iNat taxon page
- Biodiversity Heritage Library
- BOLD Systems BIN search
- eFloras.org
- Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
- HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
- IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
- Maryland Biodiversity Project
- NBN Atlas
- SEINet Symbiota portals
- Tropicos
- World Flora Online
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