The latest map showing hotspots for Japanese Knotweed has revealed Nottinghamshire as an 'area of concern'. The fast growing and invasive plant has been reported to damage buildings and cause house prices to plummet.
While Knotweed is native to East Asia, it is understood to have been introduced to the UK in 1850 by a botanist unaware of the impact the plant would go on to have on the native environment. However, the rapidly growing root system is now feared by those discovering it following reports that, if left to spread, it can damage property foundations and 'strangle' other species in its path.
The new map highlights the worst areas across the UK for reports of the plant and Nottinghamshire, along with London, Merseyside, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Glasgow, Bristol, Sheffield, and the Isle of Man are among some of the 'biggest areas of concern'.
