Read yesterdays post from magowen100 and checked the references. Got some plants in the garden which have leaves which I think look exactly like knotweed but which come off a straight stem in pairs. Advice is that knotweed leaves come off the stem alternately and the stem is crooked. These plants are embedded in a mature hedge and keep sprouting in my gravel drive.
Actually potted one as I thought it looked nice. I gather this is illegal
Have I got knotweed ? Will I go to jail ?

have a look here http://www.jksl.com – If it is knotweed you need to get it sorted really, it grows very aggressively.

(MD is a good friend of mine, i’m sure he’ll offer advice if needed)

Hmmm… before you hand yourself in to the polis, just check that it isn’t one of these..

Russin Vine (Fallopia baldschuanica) not Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), is closely related and looks similar, but Russian Vine is very common, grows like mad (also know as ‘Mile a minute’) and is perfectly legal to plant, grow and sell. The leaves on Russian Vine grow in pairs (or threes) from the stem as you describe. More info here

Or Bindweed, which also has similar leaves and grows in the same way, but has pretty white flowers instead of the long tails of tiny flowers that the two vines above have. More info here

Hope that helps…

Environment Agency – All you need to know

Thanks Flowerpower. Doesn’t appear to be either. I was hoping that because the leaves are in pairs it can’t be knotweed but the leaves seem to match up to the piccies I have seen on Google in colour and shape.

Andy, Done the EA website but, didn’t arrive at any definitive conclusion.

What I don’t understand is this: presumably in its native habitat it doesn’t take over the entire area and destroy stuff. Why? Can’t be just those aphids, can it?