About Japanese Knotweed 

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    What Is Japanese Knotweed ?

    Japanese Knotweed was first brought to the UK by the Victorians as an ornamental plant during the early 19th century. During the 20th century It was then used to stabilise embankments due to the size and strength of its root system, particularly on railways and canals which spread it far and wide in industrial South Wales.

    It develops a huge and highly vigorous root system or rhizome which acts as both an energy store and a means to spread. The size relationship between the rhizome and the visible plant can be compared to an iceberg and its tip. Homeowners and developers often spread the rhizome without realising or through attempting to deal with the problem themselves – a 5p sized piece of rhizome can re-grow into a new infestation, creating a much greater area of knotweed.

    What Does It Look Like?


    Stems

    Japanese Knotweed stems are usually green and red in colour with hollow, cane like stems. The stems can grow up to a height of 3 metres, with stem diameters sometimes reaching 60mm in diameter. Young stems are usually almost completely red in colour but as the stem grows the amount of green increases.

    Leaves

    The leaves are described as Shovel or heart shaped and grow in an opposing or ‘every-other’ pattern along the stems. Mature leaves average 120mm in length and are a bright green colour.

    Flower

    In early autumn Japanese Knotweed will produce small creamy-white flowers hanging in clusters from the leaf axils (point at which the leafjoins with the stem).

    Dormancy

    As the winter months draw in, it will lose all its flowers and leaves, to leave brown dead stems which will remain for some months.

    The Physical Impact of Japanese Knotweed

    Japanese Knotweed can be an extremely damaging plant. We’ve seen it growing through tarmac, lifting paths, cracking concrete, damaging underground drainage and, most importantly, resisting and sometimes even thriving on all untrained attempts to get rid of it.

    Being an invasive species, native to Japan, many of the native insects and fungi that normally attack the plant are not present here in the UK. After being here for over a hundred years, there is still nothing in the UK’s ecosystem that will naturally keep this invasive and destructive weed under control.

    People often forget about the effect of knotweed on gardens; as well as damaging buildings, it can overwhelm even the most expensive gardens by out-competing everything in its path. Remember this weed is non-native and is extremely hardy to our insects and fungus.

    WE ACT FAST!

    We measure ourselves using KPIs for each stage of the process and we believe we are the best!

    Call us now on 0800 634 9275

    Alternatively, you can enter your details into the form below and a member of our team will call you back.

      Japanese Knotweed Impacts on Property Sales, Development and Construction.

      Despite Japanese Knotweed being a highly invasive and damaging plant, many people don’t realise it will cause them a problem until it’s too late. Often not until it’s been picked up on a mortgage or ecology survey on the property or land they are buying, selling or developing. When Japanese Knotweed is found on or within 3 metres of a property, sales can be delayed and occasionally fall through because mortgage companies are reluctant to lend unless management plans and insurance backed guarantees from companies like us are put in place.

      When buyers and sellers are in “a chain”, sales can fall through “along the chain” due to uncertainty and high levels of anxiety caused by delays.

      In the cases where planning is being applied for we have found that planning consent is often subject to conditions requiring the management of the Japanese Knotweed onsite. Clearsafe Knotweed have years of experience providing bespoke management options that satisfy these planning conditions allowing for the progression of construction projects.

      At Clearsafe Knotweed we have heard of land-owners abandoning their plans and selling up at a reduced cost and have known construction companies to lose their contracts because the client can no longer afford the build. Our advice is seek advice early (pre planning stage) and save yourself time, effort, stress and money further down the process.

      WE ACT FAST!

      We measure ourselves using KPIs for each stage of the process and we believe we are the best!

      Call us now on 0800 634 9275

      Alternatively, you can enter your details into the form below and a member of our team will call you back.

        The 4 Stages of Japanese Knotweed Growth

        WE ACT FAST!

        We measure ourselves using KPIs for each stage of the process and we believe we are the best!

        Call us now on 0800 634 9275

        Alternatively, you can enter your details into the form below and a member of our team will call you back.

          Media Scare Stories

          You may have seen or heard some of the irresponsible stories in the media and online about what knotweed can do and how it’s impossible to kill, which can unnecessarily worry potential buyers and sellers. This can be put down to a lack of knowledge and experience with the weed, journalistic licence and people having opinions. At Clearsafe Knotweed, we use facts and experience. Don’t read and listen to opinions, call us to review it for you.

          We know that Japanese Knotweed is just a plant, albeit, an extremely vigorous and aggressive plant that can spread incredibly quickly and easily if the correct guidance is not followed.

          In most cases, it can be treated and killed effectively and without the need to dig up your garden or land.

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