Buddleia
What is it?
Buddleia (Buddlejadavidii) which is also known as ‘Butterfly Bush’ was introduced into the UK from China in the 1890s and is usually found along waste land, railway lines and in gardens.
Buddleia is characterized by its large, drooping purple flowers with long narrow leave. As with Japanese Knotweed, Buddleia can easily be removed by employing a specialist contractor such as ourselves.
What are the risks?
If left unattended it has the power to cause damage to boundary walls and buildings and can cause thousands of pounds worth of damage.
How can it be controlled?
By employing a cut stump treatment programme we can significantly reduce the development of Buddleia on your site.
Once the trunk of the bush is cut off herbicides are applied to the freshly cut surface that prevent the plant from redeveloping.
Himalayan Balsam
What is it?
A stunning but highly invasive plant Himalayan Balsam was imported into the UK by the Victorians in 1839. The plant is characterised by its translucent stems that produce a stunning flower while in bloom.
When ripe the seedpods are tensely compacted by an inner coil which results in the pod bursting open, which can disperse the seeds up to a distance of 4 metres.
What are the risks?
Himalayan Balsam is an invasive plant that poses an environmental risk to riverbanks through the erosion of soil, which increasing the risk of flooding to local communities.
Himalayan Balsam is an annual plant that can grow up to 3 metres in height, with each plant producing upwards of 800 seeds per growing season.
How can it be controlled?
Control of Himalayan Balsam can be achieved over 3 growing seasons via the application of targeted herbicides which severely disrupt the plant’s ability to regenerate.
Inspectas Land Remediation can also dig and dump Himalayan Balsam, and then install a horizontal root barrier membrane that will prevent any seeds that are dormant in the soil from developing.
Giant Hogweed
What is it?
Giant Hogweed is an aggressive plant that poses a serious risk to human health, as well as to the local ecology. As a member of the carrot / parsley family it has the ability to grow to over 5 metres in height, with leaves stretching up to 1.5 metres across.
As with a lot of invasive plants, it was first introduced into the UK in the 1890s by the Victorians as an ornamental plant.
What are the risks?
Like Himalayan Balsam, the presence of Giant Hogweed can cause soil erosion along riverbanks which can ultimately lead to localised flooding. It is prevalent along roadsides, vacant sites, rivers and watercourses, all of which are easily colonised by this invasive weed.
Giant Hogweed poses a significant risk to human health when the sap comes into contact with skin. The sap contains furanocoumarin which causes photo dermatitis, which in turn leads to severe blistering. If the sap comes into contact with the eyes it can lead to the complete loss of sight.
How can it be controlled?
By employing a 3-year control programme Inspectas Land Remediation can severely reduce the plant’s ability to develop. By the application of herbicide – long with a special adjuvant which prevents the dispersal of seeds – we can ensure the plant prevents no further problems to your site.
As with all invasive species we can excavate the plant and root system and install a root barrier membrane to prevent dormant seeds from developing.
Mares Tail / Horsetail
What is it?
A primitive perennial weed that does not flower and appears light green in colour, with spindly thin leaves growing from the stem. The plant typically grows between 5-60cm in length, first appearing in late March. It produces spores that ripen in late April and roots that can penetrate several metres below the surface.
What are the risks?
The plant has the ability to quickly colonise the area of infestation pushing through man made surfaces such as tarmac. This plant appears more and more in new build environments as well as in landscaped areas. As it requires very little nutritional content it can quickly create its own monoculture, pushing out neighbouring species which has a detrimental effect to local biodiversity.
Mares Tail is also toxic, and can poison and even kill livestock, posing a serious danger to cattle, sheep and horses if left to graze freely on it.
How can it be controlled?
As with most invasive species a control programme can be employed using targeted herbicides that destroy existing infestations and prevent the dispersion of spores.
Excavation, along with the installation of a root barrier membrane, can also prevent the plant from redeveloping on a site.
Ragwort
What is it?
A distinctive plant with bright yellow flowers that typically reaches up to 1.5m in height. The plant is typically found in agricultural land and is biennial, meaning it takes 2 years to fully develop.
It is characterised by its 70% germination rate and produces up to 150,000 wind borne seeds per season. Dormant seeds can lie in the soil for up to 20 years before growth develops.
What are the risks?
Being a poisonous weed it poses a major threat to grazing animals. Indeed ragwort is responsible for the most cases of animal poisoning in the United Kingdom. This plant is a danger to horses and cattle, causing irreversible liver damage due to the alkaloids it contains.
How can it be controlled?
Special consideration needs to be given to determine the effects on the local biodiversity prior to any attempt to eradicate the problem.
With this in mind we have developed specialist programmes that are designed to exhaust the seed bank, whilst also keeping the environmental impact low.
Prevent Japanese Knotweed taking over your land!
Get in touch today …
If you think there may be knotweed on your land – or if you want to request a quote or survey – there are several ways to contact us. Just choose which one works for you.
… or let us call you back
Need an expert’s opinion or got questions about our services? Want us to check a photo of some suspect weeds on your land?
Submit your details here – and add a pic if you want – and we’ll get right back to you.
Phone us on 0800 288 4967
Text / WhatsApp photos to 07494 678440
Email us at info@inspectaslr.co.uk
National offices in:
Birmingham, Bridgewater, Canterbury, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, London, Southampton.
