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Knotweed is a perennial plant. This means that unchecked, it will
persist from one year to the next without needing to seed. This gives
it a distinct advantage over other plants that can only persist by
producing seeds that germinate. In fact we know that the Japanese
Knotweed in this country never seeds. All the plants seem to be female,
and so the flowers can never produce seeds. However, a very small
piece of rhizome(like a root), a piece only as big as your finger-nail,
can grow into a new plant, and the rhizome system of a plant can extend
a distance of at least 7m. This is sufficient to spread the plant
very successfully.. |
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C
a l e n d a r
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Spring
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Japanese Knotweed starts to produce shoots
in the Spring. It can grow very rapidly - as much as 4cm a day in
good weather. |
Spring |
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Summer
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By the summer, the growth can be 2m(7 foot)
or more. Flowers appear in late Summer (August). |
Summer |
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Winter
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In Winter the leaves and stems die back, but the dead
twigs do not decompose for up to 3 years, so it does not help our
countryside look attractive. |
Winter |
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Identifying Japanese Knotweed