Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Knotweed is an invasive species to the New England area. The species is native to China, Japan, Korea, and Taiwan. It was initially introduced to the UK (the 1820s) as an ornamental plant and then to North America (Late nineteenth century). The shub-like plant measures 3-9 feet high with reddish-colored stems. The leaves alternate on the stems and have red-colored veins. The shrub produces blooms in the late summer that are small and a more green white. When removing Knotweed, it is crucial to remove it before it goes to seed, but it is ideal for removing it in its earliest stages. Knotweed is considered an invasive plant because when introduced to a nonnative habitat, it quickly crowds out the native species. Knotweed can tolerate a wide variety of temperatures, moisture, and solid pHs. This is the main reason it is taking over habitats. Removing Japanese Knotweed is not easy, but is worth it. The manual labor consists of digging up the roots and or cutting the stalks. If the cutting method is used, the three cuts are needed over the course of the growing season to offset seed production. When removing Knotweed after it had gone to seed, the best method of removing it placing a trash bag over the shrub, then cutting it at its base. The trash bag will help reduce the number of seeds spread during removal.
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