In this article I consider the problems caused by Japanese
Knotweed and some of the types of legal claims that can be made, in
the light of some recent court decisions.
Description
Fallopia Japonica is a large herbaceous perennial of
the knotweed and buckwheat family Polygonaceae. It has a
number of common names, often related to animals – elephant
ears, donkey rhubarb, monkeyweed, but perhaps the most appropriate
is the Chinese: tiger sticks.
European adventurer Philipp Franz von Siebold first transported
the plant from a Japanese volcano to Holland. By 1850 a specimen
from this plant was added to Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. It proved
popular with gardeners because it looked like bamboo and grew in
all conditions. It spread is thought to have been aided by rail and
water networks.
