Just curious as they seem to be taking over the local park and national trust land…

triffids innit.

😀

flower looks kinda foxglove like, and are more purple than my camera phone suggests.

Himalayan balsam. It really does take over everything else surrounding it

Himalayan Balsam – what do I win?

Damn! Not such a still tortoise!

ha ha!

Himalayan bals…… oh damn, beaten to it by stilltortoise & woody2000.

How to risk assess it here….

http://www.nonnativespecies.org

It spreads cos the seeds are such good fun to pop!

cheers guys, Woody2000 your too slow, still tortose has already won my admiration in identifing weeds (it's friday and I'm bored)…

Will get onto the ppl who maintain the park and ask them to clear up the mess they've caused (they cleared all the banks of the original plant/tree life)

at least it's not giant hogweed or japanese knotweed. Knotweed is fun to get rid of, NOT

It's a right b'stard to try to get rid off as the seeds stay viable for 2 years. Plus when it dies back in winter it leaves big patches of bare soil which may erode in heavy rain/flooding. One of the best things is cut it down at the base then spray off roots and then either let the cutting die down and burn or iirc the cutting have to go to a registerd sealed tip. This may have to be done for at least three years.