An invasive plant known to grow up to 15 feet tall has started taking over gardens across the U.S. and threatens to devalue homes in the Northwest, Midwest and Northeast. While Japanese knotweed is a beautiful plant with pretty white flowers and vibrant green leaves, the bamboo-like plant has the ability to crack pavement, kill surrounding plants, and cause home values to plummet. It can grow at the pace of 3 feet a week and it takes years and extensive work to eradicate it from properties, even when its stalks are injected with pesticides. It's known to grow inches per day in the spring. Caitlin and Paul Maher of Lubec, Maine, had no idea that the 8-foot-tall plant growing on the land of their new home was Japanese knotweed, or how much work it would take to get rid of it. The couple says their yard became a jungle they couldn’t even walk through. After years of mowing it down, burning the stalks, leveling the ground and scything the plant, they got most of it to go away, but they are yet to declare a victory. From time to time, small portions of the plant crop up again and they have to treat it. To get rid of a small portion of the plant, Dr. Bernd Blossey, a professor at Cornell University, recommends mowing it repeatedly to keep it in check, or dig it up to completely get rid of it. However, digging it up comes with its own challenges, as you have to get the entire root out to make sure it doesn't grow back. According to the Wall Street Journal, residents who have the plant on their property are encouraged to take out a 5- to 10-year insurance policy on the weed for treatment and maintenance. The plant was first introduced to the U.S. from Japan in the mid-1800s by botanists who also brought over kudzu and oriental bittersweet. It has since spread all over the U.S.
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| The green areas indicate where knotweed is most prolific |
