Over 50,000 Japanese knotweed infestations have been recorded in the UK, and Bristol is now battling with significant infestations. The Victorians introduced the quickly spreading weed to Britain as a beautiful garden plant and to line railroad tracks to stabilise the soil.
In Asia, fungi and insects control it, but in the UK, it has no natural enemies and is therefore causing chaos in gardens. Specialists in invasive plants at Environet keep tabs on the parts of the UK where Japanese knotweed infestations are most severe.
Users can track how many known infestations there are in a specific location using the data that is published on an interactive map. With hotspots highlighted in yellow, orange, and, in the worst circumstances, red. Bristol is currently predominately covered in red on the map.
