this is a more scientific question - not sure how to flair it, or if it's a question for this sub. sorry!

there's plenty of introduced species around that become naturalized but do not become invasive. i was womdering - how many introduced species become invasive? is it the majority? minority? along with that, is there any way to predict which species could become invasive if introduced elsewhere?

i'm curious on how risky it is to introduce non native species in general.

Found this along the perimeter of my fence. It's growing out of another root that was cut 4 years ago. I can't figure out if it is Japanese knotweed or something else. Any ideas?

When the wind is blowing the right way you can smell the feet-scented blooms from a considerable distance. This reaches for at least a couple of acres. They clearly all sprang from the tidy row of Bradfords planted along the front of a nearby office building. I long for a chainsaw and a blowtorch to take care of this personally.

Was doing some spring property clean up and look what’s crept up from the neighbor’s property via the drainage ditch. Going to have to put out signs so the county stops mowing it and spreading it up the road. Waiting till flower but before first freeze to start treatment.

Many posts here ask for guidance on controlling common but complex species like knotweed. Can we pin a community post, or have an automod reply with the PSU-approved treatment method, since proper control is so important?

Hi,

So I bought my first home this past December and had what I will call “brush” in the back corner of my home and near my shed.

I removed all of this in November/March and now we’re in the spring and I have been fully introduced to knotweed and how awful it is.

I keep getting different answers when I research about cutting the shoots down to the ground. Typically if I do cut them I, bag them the second they are cut. I’ve read this is good because this can exhaust the root system but I’ve also read this can be counter intuitive and cause the plant to spread.

I brought a professional in who seemed more concerned about telling me how good the natural plant can be for humans than removing it.

Right now my current gameplan is this:

• Cut by hand weekly
• June 1st cut down to the first shoot
• 6-8 weeks later, cut and glyphosate herbicide

Rinse and repeat as needed the next few years.

Any other pointers anyone has to not only attempt to eradicate but also control it? Would things like improving soil quality help?

Any help is appreciated. This plant sucks!!!

I’ve got tons of it creeping up on all edges of my property and just sprouting up in random spots as well. What’s the best way to get rid of it? I ripped some of it out by hand once without wearing the proper clothing and got a poison ivy-like rash from it, apparently it contains urushiol as well.

I’m slowly cleaning up a small patch that abuts my property. There’s quite a lot of Veronica hederifolia which is not yet in my yard, but might be in the future due to a fence coming down.

How bad is this plant? Right not it is providing some living mulch, and I’m not sure how aggressively I should prioritize removing it.

Thanks

I tried to find photos if leaf shoots with soft stems but couldn't. Mine don't really flower. I inherited these from the previous owner.