What is Japanese knotweed?
Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is a weed that spreads quickly.
In winter the plant dies back to ground level but by early summer the bamboo-like stems emerge from deep underground to shoot to over 2m (7ft).
If you think you have Japanese knotweed in your garden, please contact our Neighbourhood Services Team using the details on this page.
How do we deal with knotweed?
We will add most reports of knotweed to our spraying list. Sites are sprayed 2 to 3 times a year throughout the growing season (April to September).
We do not remove knotweed from the site. It must not be disposed of using your wheelie bins or at your local recycling centre. There is strict legislation in place regarding the disposal of knotweed.
It can take years to eradicate knotweed from a site and we will treat it for as long as necessary.
Identifying knotweed
In spring: you might notice early growth with red shoots.
In summer: the plants can grow to well over 2m (7ft) tall with Bamboo-like stalks.
In late summer and early autumn: small clusters of white flowers will appear.
In autumn: the dense covering of leaves will remain, however, they start to turn yellow and wilt as we move into September and October. The knotweed plants are still about 2 to 3 metres tall and the hollow stems start to turn brown.
In winter: during late autumn and the beginning of winter the knotweed canes die off and the weed becomes dormant. The leaves turn yellow, then brown and fall off. The canes are hollow, dark brown and brittle.
If you require any further information on knotweed, please visit:
