Harmful weeds and non native plants
Identification and control of harmful weeds and invasive non native plants such as Japanese knotweed
All landowners, the council included, have a responsibility to make sure harmful weeds and non native plants with the potential to harm people, livestock or the environment do not spread to a neighbouring property and are treated correctly.
The most common invasive, non native plants include
- Japanese knotweed
- Giant hogweed
- Himalayan balsam
- Rhododendron ponticum
- New Zealand pigmyweed (this is banned from sale)
How to identify, control and dispose of plants that can harm people, livestock and the environment.
Correct identification is important so you can control the plants in the most effective way.
Visit nonnativespecies.org for help identifying plants (opens new window)
Japanese knotweed
You don't have to remove Japanese knotweed from your land, but you could be prosecuted or given a community protection notice for causing a nuisance if you allow it to spread onto anyone else's property.
Japanese Knotweed is listed under Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981with respect to England, Wales and Scotland. As such it is an offence to plant of otherwise cause Japanese knotweed to grow in the wild. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Japanese Knotweed is classified as controlled waste.
For more information read the Japanese knotweed identification sheet (PDF, 91 KB) (opens new window)
Visit Gov.uk for advice on treating and disposing of Japanese knotweed (opens new window)
Giant hogweed
Contact with any part of this plant must be avoided as even small amounts of sap can cause blistering of the skin following exposure to sunlight.
Giant hogweed is listed under Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 with respect to England, Wales and Scotland. As such it is an offence to plant or otherwise cause this species to grow in the wild. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, giant hogweed is also classified as controlled waste.
For more information read the Giant hogweed identification sheet (PDF, 6 MB) (opens new window)
Himalyan balsam
Himalayan balsam is listed under Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 with respect to England and Wales. As such, it is an offence to plant or otherwise allow this species to grow in the wild.
For more information read the Himalayan balsam identification sheet (PDF, 4 MB) (opens new window)
Plants that need control
You must do both of the following to control specific plants
- prevent invasive non native plants on your land from spreading into the wild and causing a nuisance
- prevent harmful weeds on your land from spreading on to a neighbour's property
You could be fined up to £5,000 or be sent to prison for up to 2 years if you allow contaminated soil or plant material from any waste you transfer to spread into the wild.
Report it
If you are a council tenant or the plants are growing on council owned land you need to report it to our Countryside team.
If the plants are growing in the wild please report it to DEFRA.
Natural England Enquiries Team
Technical Services Natural England
County Hall, Spetchley Road
WORCESTER
WR5 2NP
Email: weedenquiries@naturalengland.org.uk
Telephone: 0300 060 3900
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