Map shows Japanese knotweed hotspots in Nottingham

The invasive species can be identified by its creamy-white flower

Homeowners in Nottingham can check if their property is near to any Japanese knotweed hotspots thanks to an interactive map.

It’s believed that Japanese knotweed was originally imported into the UK from Japan back in the nineteenth century, when engineers thought it would stabilise and beautify railway embankments.

In winter the plant dies back to ground level but by early summer the bamboo-like stems emerge from rhizomes deep underground to shoot to over 2.1m.

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The creamy-white flower tassels produced in late summer and early autumn reach up to 15cm.

The problem is that the plant has been known to cause damage to building structures by targeting weak points and attempting to grow through them.

It’s not illegal to have Japanese knotweed in your garden, but on your property, you should aim to control the plant to prevent it from becoming a problem in your neighbourhood.

Here in Nottingham, there are dozens of confirmed cases of Japanese knotweed, as shown by Horticulture’s interactive map.

Map shows Japanese Knotweed hotspots in Nottingham

Particular hotspots appear to be in Lenton, where there are 24 confirmed cases, and Whitemoor, with 15 confirmed cases of the invasive plant.

There are no confirmed cases in the city centre, although suburbs such as Sherwood and Beeston are affected.

Japanese knotweed is typically spread accidentally through the movement of soil or gardening waste, or via rivers and streams when pieces of rhizome break off and take hold in new locations.