KNOTTED UP
Map reveals worst areas for Japanese knotweed with fears plant will wipe thousands off house prices
A MAP has revealed the worst areas for Japanese knotweed - as fears the plant could wipe thousands off house prices grow.
The fast-growing weed has been called "the UK's most aggressive, destructive and invasive" plant by the Environment Agency.
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It has a rapidly growing root system that destroys building foundations, causing property values to plummet.
Native to East Asia, the plant was introduced to the UK in 1850 by German botanist Philipp Franz von Siebold.
And now a new interactive map has revealed where the plant has spread the most around the UK.
Patches of red are concentrated around London, south Wales and the north west of England.
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There are 242 occurrences within 4km of Cardiff and 294 within 4km of Brixton, south London, according to the map by invasive plant specialists Environet.
In Bolton there are 684 occurrences within 4km, according to the map.
Other areas with a high number of sightings include Nottingham, Derby, Rotherham and Preston.
Nic Seal, founder of Environet, said, “Anyone selling a property has a duty to either get a knotweed survey or ensure they’re familiar with the plant’s appearance and can therefore state confidently whether they have it or not.
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“Knotweed is growing rapidly at this time of year – at a rate of up to 10cm per day - reaching its full height of 2 to 2.5 metres tall around the end of May or early June.
"Look out for the distinctive shield-shaped vivid green leaves and purple-speckled canes. Knotweed is rather a like an iceberg, with the bulk of the plant hidden beneath the ground in its vast rhizome system, so what you can see growing usually isn’t a true reflection of the size of the problem.
"Anyone living near a Japanese knotweed hotspot would be wise to check their garden carefully and enter their postcode into Exposed to find out how many known occurrences are nearby. If in doubt, seek expert help.”
It comes after a Freedom of Information request revealed the worst areas for invasions of the weed in the UK.
And an expert revealed the steps to take to get rid of a plant deemed worse than knotweed.
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