Donkey rhubarb, elephant ears, Japanese bamboo, American bamboo Himalayan fleece vine are some of the other names given to this plant.
Knot weed has a , hollow stem with a bamboo like appearance. The plant can grow to heights of 5-6 metres. The leaves are spade shaped and produces chains of white flowers/seeds.
There is an urban myth about this plant and how difficult it is to control it. The plant does grow aggressively and consumes space excluding all other plants from the area by using its huge dense leaf canopy to produce a barren area under the plant where no other plants can survive. Originally native to Korea, China and Japan once introduced into Europe the plant has been very “successful “ and spread quickly to cover large areas particularly canal, railway sidings and levees. Stems emerge through concrete and tarmac with apparent ease. The plant is adaptable, tolerating various types of soils and appears to have a high tolerance for acidity alkalinity and salinity. In short it grows just about anywhere. Frost appears to damage the above surface stem and leaves but the rhizome or root system survives.
The plant has thick cuticle like skin on the leaf. The seeds are sterile The plant spreads by developing a large network of rhizome which root as far as 3 metres and can travel underground and spring up distances of up to 6-7 metres away from the parent plant. The plant is classified as invasive in the UK and can cause serious damage to brickwork and concrete of drains and buildings. Land owners have a legal obligation to control Knotweed on their land.
Control has to be focused on the rhizome in order to defeat this plant as it appears resistant to cutting coming back even stronger in some cases. The Lawn and Weed Expert and its sister company Taylor Total Weed Control Ltd have a great track record controlling Japanese knotweed. We have killed Japanese knotweed for years and will continue to eradicate it for years to come. It is unnecessary to spend significant amounts of money. Digging out the plant (digging down 3 mtrs) is expensive as is transporting the soil and waste to a licensed site. All of this expensive work can be avoided if a sensible herbicide program is used.
There is an urban myth about controlling this plant. The plant is difficult to control if you do not use the right combination of herbicides at the right time. The lawn and weed expert has many years successful experience controlling and eradicating knot weed from gardens and other sites. Several applications of the right combination of herbicides applied under the right conditions will kill the stem and gradually also kill the rhizome and then plant as a whole.