THE HOTSPOTS for Worcestershire Japanese Knotweed have been revealed.
The invasive plant is regarded with dread by homeowners because it has the potential to grow up through cracks in concrete, tarmac driveways, pathways, drains and cavity walls.
In Worcestershire, the plant is expected to appear in Worcester, Kidderminster, Droitwich Spa, Redditch and Bromsgrove.
Worcester has the most but other towns also feature on the map.
The Worcestershire Japanese knotweed hotspots for 2022 are:
According to research from invasive plant specialist Environet, approximately five per cent of homes are currently affected by knotweed.
The firm has analysed Japanese knotweed from its online heat map, which is populated with 55,000 known knotweed infestations across the country.
Japanese knotweed has heart-shaped leaves that can replicate the same features as bamboo and is often found in summer and autumn.
The plant first arrived in the UK in 1850 and was quickly favoured by gardeners and horticulturalists who did not know about its invasive nature.
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Nic Seal, founder and managing director of Environet said: “Japanese knotweed tends to strike fear into the hearts of homeowners but as long as they’re aware of its presence and take action to remove it before it causes any serious damage or spreads to a neighbour’s property, there’s no reason to panic.
"By publishing the 2022 hotspots for Worcestershire we hope to raise awareness and encourage people in the area to be vigilant for signs of knotweed as the growing season takes off, so they can act quickly if needed.
"Anyone living near or moving to one of these hotspots would be wise to check their garden carefully, enter their postcode into Exposed to find out how many known occurrences are nearby and, if in doubt, seek expert help.”
Environet has put together a guide on how to spot Japanese knotweed:
- Asparagus-like spears emerge from the ground in early spring and begin to sprout pale green leaves with distinctive pink veins
- In May the plant starts to grow rapidly. The stems harden into bamboo-like structures and the leaves
- By mid-summer, the plant grows around 10cm per day, with mature plants forming dense stands two or three metres tall
- In August the plant blooms, with small clusters of flowers appearing on the leaf
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