Whether you have recently bought a house and discovered Japanese
knotweed or are worried about Japanese knotweed on adjoining land,
it may be necessary to take legal advice. Japanese knotweed is an
extremely invasive and destructive perennial weed and can be
identified by its reddish-purple fleshy shoots and heart shaped
leaves that bud alternatively in a "zig-zag" pattern
along the stems.
The pernicious plant's invasive root system and strong
growth can damage concrete foundations, roads, paving and retaining
walls and in extreme cases, even undermine the structural integrity
of buildings. Hot weather and rainfall can lead to the weed growing
out of control and The Royal Horticultural Society says that by
early summer the bamboo-like stems can shoot up to over seven foot
tall.
