Japanese knotweed (Jozef Gruszczyk / iStock / Getty Images Plus) One gardener’s weed is another’s sacred herb. Still, if you were making a horticultural weed horror index, my guess is dandelions would now be somewhere near the bottom of the index. They used to be way up there, but World War Dandelion has been lost and the weed isn’t such a horror anymore.
Besides, they produce only 300 seeds per plant. Chickweed , on another hand, can sport a staggering 2,500 seeds per flower. Still, chickweed would only be somewhere in the middle of my index.
This week’s weed column covers Fallopia japonica, aka Japanese knotweed . This weed is at least near the top of the Weed Horror Index. It might even deserve the very top slot.
I realize most Alaskans wouldn’t know a Japanese knotweed if they were hit in the head with one . We need to change that right now. Let’s go interactive: Look up Japanese knotweed on the internet.
Right now. Take your phone out and look it up. Go to images and get more pictures.
Right now. What you will find is an attractive shrub that can grow over 10 feet tall. It has segmented, hollow stalks, making it look like bamboo, only the stalks have purple speckles.
The leaves can be nasturtium size and can even get to 7 or 8 inches, and are spade to heart-shaped with stems that turn red. Japanese knotweed is covered with hundreds, if not thousands of small, white flowers that stand upright on their own stems. Unlike dandelions and chickweed, however, Japane.
