The common name for the species of interest is Japanese Knotweed.
The scientific name for Japanese Knotweed is Reynoutria japonica or Fallopia japonica, both of which can be used interchangeably since they are synonyms (United States Department of Agriculture, 2022).
It is important to note that the species was first introduced into the United States in the late 1800s as an ornamental plant (United States Department of Agriculture, 2022).
Japanese Knotweed is a plant, which means it relies on photosynthesis to produce the nutrients it needs as well as the soil minerals.
The species can be eaten by herbivores and can be consumed by humans as well (Environet, 2022).
Japanese Knotweed is currently present globally in all continents and regions, including North America and isolated islands, such as the UK.
The species originally originated from the ecosystems of Korea, China, and Japan (Japanese Knotweed Expert, 2022).
The environment suitable for Japanese Knotweed is humid and warm, but the plant is highly resilient since it is able to grow even during droughts, in highly saline soils, high temperatures, deep shades, and urban lands (New York Invasive Species Information, 2019).
The primary reason why Japanese Knotweed was introduced to other environments is due to the use of the weed as an ornamental plant by the Europeans and Americans. It was used as a decoration in specifically themed gardens during the 1800s, which allowed the weed to grow and spread across the new continents of North America (New York Invasive Species Information, 2019).
The species is considered invasive because it does not belong to non-East Asian regions and disrupts the environment of new environments.
- Fact #1: Remarkably, Japanese Knotweed can grow through bricks and concrete, undermining the structural integrity of urban buildings, such as residential apartments (Green, 2022).
- Fact #2: Japanese Knotweed grows and spreads in highly dense clusters leaving no habitat for other species (Green, 2022).
- Fact #3: Japanese Knotweed is extremely challenging to eradicate due to its immense resilience and quick spread (Green, 2022).
- Fact #4: Allowing Japanese Knotweed to spread erodes the soil beneath it due to the density of its clusters (Green, 2022).
- Fact #5: Japanese Knotweed can be removed either chemically or mechanically, and success depends on full eradication (Green, 2022).
It should be noted that the methods of control are based on the early elimination of the species in a location by either mechanically removing the plant entirely or chemically killing the species. Both of these measures are best done with the help of professionals since leaving even a single root can be enough for the weed to regrow in a short span of time (New York Invasive Species Information, 2019).
The positive uses of Japanese Knotweed are found in nutritional supplementation as well as alternative medicine. It is stated that “not only is it edible; it is good for you. Japanese knotweed is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C and contains potassium, zinc, phosphorus and manganese” (Environet, 2022, para. 4). In addition, the species was an important herb for the Eastern medicine for centuries since it contains some amounts of resveratrol known to be beneficial for blood cholesterol reduction (Environet, 2022). However, its negative implications on the ecosystems and buildings make it highly dangerous nonetheless.
References
Environet. (2022). Is Japanese Knotweed safe to eat? Web.
Green, N. (2022). The truth about Japanese knotweed. Unbiased. Web.
Japanese Knotweed Expert. (2022). The continuing spread of Japanese Knotweed. Web.
New York Invasive Species Information. (2019). Japanese Knotweed. Web.
United States Department of Agriculture. (2022). Japanese Knotweed. Web.