This plant is taking over the yard on one side of my house! It's sprouting up through the grass, in the window wells, everywhere! My last two seasons of work to get rid of them has seemed to do nothing! Any suggestions? Thank you!

My yard - actually my neighbor's, but encroaching into mine. I understand ridding us both of this will be my new hobby.

i would like to grow this in pots (to keep it from spreading) due to its effectiveness in treating Lyme disease ("Healing Lyme" Stephen Harrod Buhner, 2005). Purchasing the herb is very expensive, and treatment often lasts longer than a year.

Cynthia, if you must have these plants, keep them in pots and keep them indoors.

I have shoots. When I bought my house there was a huge forest of the stuff. Over the past two years I have cut it all down and and am still mowing some smaller shoots and applying roundup.

I have a spreading area of this. Thought it was a pretty plant and smelled good. Now I know what it is and have been trying to eradicate it. Last year I cut some at ground level and IMMEDIATELY doused with undiluted Super Concentrate Roundup using a sponge paint brush. I also sprayed the diluted mixture on new plants (less than 12" tall). The cut and douse method seemed to work well. That area has minimal regrowth. The sprayed plants have deformed, very small leaves, but they continue to grow, albeit slowly. Plans are to do more cut and douse. I was told to douse immediately after cutting as the plant seals itself quickly after bing cut. It's a slow process, but seems to work. It will probably be a yearly battle as with buckthorn for several years (have that to contend with also in the same manner.)

Actually I'm in Amery, Wi. just a few miles east of Taylors Falls. I'm interested in digging some roots. This is kind of urgent, as I have a friend with reacurring Lymes, and needs this soon. Thank You Joe

To anyone requesting or wanting to share information about Japanese knotweed and Lyme disease: Minnesota Wildflowers is not a forum for this issue. There are many other web sites devoted to Lyme disease and/or natural healing that would serve you better. Please use those resources instead. Thank you.
Katy Chayka, Minnesota Wildflowers

I'm really sorry to see that you do not welcome inquiries regarding Japanese knotweed if we are interested in using it for natural medicinal purposes. I'm puzzled actually. I am interested in getting anyone's plant to grow in a pot inside year round. Please contact me if you are willing to help me. Thanks so much.

Linda, et al: Minnesota Wildflowers is just a field guide--we are all about plant identification and promoting natives in the landscape. Putting people in touch with each other regarding the procurement of invasive species, regardless of the reason, goes against the mission of Minnesota Wildflowers.

We are not experts on natural medicine or food value of wild plants, nor do we wish to become a clearinghouse for such things. There are numerous other venues with more information and authority than we can provide.

So I am sorry, but we cannot help you. Good luck in your quest.

Katy Chayka, Minnesota Wildflowers

A woman, who claimed to be a Master Gardener, was holding a plant sale in White Bear Lake. She sold me a plant she said was Bamboo. It turned out to be Japanese Knotweed. At first I thought it was so beautiful. But after it started spreading everywhere, I panicked. I ended up getting info from the horticulture dept. at UMN. I was told to spray the leaves with Round Up. I covered the plant, where I was able, with plastic bags and sprayed and sprayed. As it died, I went after the roots. I dug deep and far to get them out of there. I was afraid it was going to grow in the cracks of the sidewalks. Thankfully, I have gotten rid of it.

Japanese knotweed is growing in mass in several places along Victoria just south of County Road B in Roseville. (Ramsey county and Roseville have been alerted, but private landowners in the area may want to know)

Large flowering stand seen flanking the driveway of a private residence, near the public landing for Lobster Lake.

We've read that in the UK, that Japanese Knotweed plants were actually coming through the foundations of houses and growing. Is there worry of this happening with the growth of these plants here in Minnesota?

Yes, Nicole, Japanese knotweed can crack foundations here as well.

I was contacted by a Shoreview city volunteer group, replanting a boulevard, wanting id and removal advice. Their plant was the dwarf pink. I asked for but have not received an exact location yet. BTW; EDDMapS now lists this plant as Reynoutria japonica Sieb. & Zucc.

Flora of North America still lists it as Fallopia japonica, with Reynoutria japonica Houttuyn a synonym.

There is a large bank of Japanese Knotweed along the channel coming out of Twin Lake, where there is a footbridge crossing near 46th Ave, 2 blocks west of France Ave.

My neighbor brought it back from Wisconsin and planted between our yards in terraces. I've been trying to remove. It's very difficult.

My fathers backyard has been overtaken by this stuff.

Roseville has been battling this for a few years now, and I've heard Stillwater as well. A huge hedge was treated along Victoria near Reservoir woods. It required multiple treatments to remove many plants near the wetlands but the plant came back in full force on private properties in the area that were only treated once. I now see small plants popping up on residential properties between Victoria and Dale (south of County Road B). Just a note to the herbalists.... When it is farmed for food or root derivatives in its native country, they use bulldozers to get the roots which can span up to 60 or so feet. Even though it might be used for nutraceutical production, it easily escapes cultivation (so recommend letting those from country of origin do the farming).

I drive I90 weekly and I am seeing an alarming amount of Fallopia japonica var. japonica (Japanese Knotweed)(?)on the plantings in the ditches. It is so pervasive - it cannot be good. I hope someone can check on this for Mower County. The plant has a lovely (deceptive) white flower. I think we may have the Zebra Mussel of weeds here. Thank you.

I have spotted a patch growing under a powerline between a road and a bike trail in Lino Lakes, about a mile north of the Anoka/Ramsey County line. I also spotted a patch somewhere in Circle Pines.

i have that plant in a corner of my yard, under the tress. I pulled out as much as I could, then covered with landscape thick black plastic. then I planted hostas in holes I made in the plastic. I haven't completely eradicated it , especially that my neighbors don't do anything about it. But the clump is lot less.

To Nicole from Hastings & others: I have witnessed a landowner have it grow through his foundation in his garage in a city in my jurisdiction. Another landowner on Long Lake has it growing on their septic system I am working with them to get it eradicated before it causes structural damages. In the UK they are spending thousands/millions of dollars trying to eradicate it from what I have read. MDA is regulating it on the Mandated Control List for these reasons and others. Takes 3-5 years to fully get rid of it when it escapes captivity due to the rhizome reserves. My goal is to keep it out of the Wild and Scenic Rum River Valley. Respectfully. Isanti County Agricultural Inspector.

I'm often asked about a plant growing near a deck at our business and finally decided to figure out its name. After research, I'm certain it's compact Japanese knotweed. I gather it's not as invasive and indeed, in the 15 years I've known of this plant it has spread an additional 4 feet in the garden, but not outside the garden boundaries. We have a short summer here, so it doesn't get much growing time before it's killed back. Now I'm wondering if it's ok to leave it. We are on public lands in a national forest. I've never seen it growing anywhere else but this one spot, but is it irresponsible to let it be?

Susan, public land in a national forest is no place for something like this. There is zero benefit in keeping it around. Any aesthetic value to humans just not justify its continued existence.