Gardeners have been warned to keep an eye out for 'illegal' invasive plants, common and annoying species not native to the local area. These unwanted garden guests play havoc with local ecosystems and can even damage the structural foundations of homes.
Invasive plants are defined as any plant which grows where gardeners don't want it to, and are usually difficult to control. The most famous is Japenese Knotweed, which spreads wherever it can root, grows incredibly quickly, and is very difficult to remove.
Some of these plant-based invaders are imported, which can mess with the local environment and food chain, edging out local plants and threatening native species. National Geographic describes invasive species as: "an organism that is not indigenous, or native, to a particular area."
Read more: This Morning fans cringe as Holly kisses Phil amid feud rumours
To avoid purchasing them or growing these illegal plants in gardens, experts at Cel Solicitors have shared their top picks. They claim it is “a criminal offence” to plant or cause to grow a non-native invasive species listed below and this carries penalties of up to a “£5,000 fine and/or two years imprisonment”, Daily Express reports.
They said: “We rounded up some of the worst offenders, most of which are so damaging to the environment they’re actually illegal to grow in the UK.”
Giant Hogweed
It might look like overgrown cow parsley (native to the UK), giant hogweed is able to grow up to 10ft tall and spreads through its seeds, which are carried by animals and birds, or spread through waterways. While not as difficult to control as Japanese Knotweed - the pain beyond all pains - it still needs significant attention to stop it spreading.
The experts said: “Similar to Japanese knotweed, it is illegal to allow this weed to grow onto neighbouring properties, meaning that you can make a legal claim if it has spread to your land.”
Himalayan balsam
Don't be fooled by it's pretty magenta flowers - this bad boy grows rapidly and can smother other plants in the garden. With it's bright, attractive colour it is often spread by people passing on seeds to friends to use in their gardens.
Howvever, the experts warn: “It grows rapidly and spreads quickly, smothering other vegetation as it goes."
Rhododendron ponticum
Each one of these plants can produce one million or more tiny seeds each year that spread in the wind, and it’s “incredibly difficult to remove” by digging it up or using herbicides. Some rhododendron varieties can survive for centuries, and planting or allowing their growth is illegal in the UK.
The experts explained that the shrub is classified as an “invasive” plant due to its “fast-growing nature which causes damage” to other plants. The huge bushes on the plant block out sunlight from plants underneath, smothering most other wild plants and trees and leaving only plants that are able to grow above the plant.
This plant is regarded as invasive as its pendent white flowers have large seeds which are attractive to ants. The ants act as a distribution and so the plant readily grows in the wild.
The plant forms very dense territories that can outcompete other spring flowers like primroses and violets. Exhorting to the solicitors, on some roadside verges and banks it forms dense stands spreading many meters. It is most common in southern and western Britain, but is on the rise and spreading further north.
READ NEXT
Van driver 'deliberately' mowed down man at retail park after fight
Lorry driver's stunning back garden opens for afternoon tea and tours
Tourist slates Clifton Suspension Bridge for being 'too old' and calls for it to be replaced
World’s largest collection of original Banksy artworks set to go on display - full details
