Today I bring you what is considered by some people to be the most invasive plant in the world. It's the beautiful and deadly (to other plants) Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica.
I call it the "Kudzu of the North," because it has the capacity to choke out and kill all other plants, the way the kudzu vine has done so in parts of the South. You've probably seen great banks of these shrubs growing beside the road or along streams. Some places are finally making a serious effort to control it.
Of course, it's really pretty with dainty white blossoms.
The flowers must be sweet. There were hundreds of bees and flies sipping from the flowers. I don't know what kind of fly this is.
Supposedly the very young shoots are edible, but I haven't caught any at the right stage to try them.
 | See Mile-A-Minute |
| if you like this blog, click the +1
| |
4 comments:
It seems a lot of these invasive species are brought in for those who want exotic gardens. Perhaps there should be fines for that as there is for exotic animals.
Wiping out native species and replacing it with an invasive one does not bode well. I've seen the damage it causes in the south.
I'm not a fan of anything that chokes out all the other plants around it but this does have some pretty little white flowers
As Ann says, the flowers are pretty. I've seen what kudzu has done in the south and it's terrible.
I am shuddering when I look at this, because I'm in a constant battle against it, much like Sam Moore was in Healey's Cave. I did mow it to death in one large new area of lawn and fruit trees that I cultivated, but it still tries to creep in at the edge of the woods and near my barn. Ugg, hate the stuff. Did you know there are even societies in England against the Japanese knotweed? It's that bad! LOL.
Post a Comment