Sign In
  • Best Buys
  • Household Money
  • Banking & Borrowing
  • Mortgages & Home
  • Saving & Making Money
  • Rights, Scams & Politics
  • Motoring & Travel
  • Investing & Pensions
  • Savings & ISAs
  • Features
  • Compare

12 invasive plants and how to stop them from spreading – from hogweed to bamboo

How to spot stubborn species before they cause damage
Golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea)
Bamboo: what can go wrong
How to identify bamboo
Bamboo treatment
Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)
Japanese knotweed: what can go wrong
How to identify Japanese knotweed
Japanese knotweed treatment
Ivy (Hedera helix)
Ivy: what can go wrong
How to identify ivy
Ivy treatment
Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Giant hogweed: what can go wrong
How to identify giant hogweed
Giant hogweed treatment
Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)
Himalayan balsam: what can go wrong
How to identify Himalayan balsam
Himalayan balsam treatment
Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
Rhododendron: what can go wrong
How to identify rhododendron
Rhododendron treatment
New Zealand pygmyweed (Crassula helmsii)
New Zealand pygmyweed: what can go wrong
How to identify New Zealand pygmyweed
New Zealand pygmyweed treatment
Green alkanet (Pentaglottis sempervirens)
Green alkanet: what can go wrong
How to identify green alkanet
Green alkanet treatment
Three-cornered garlic (Allium triquetrum)
Three-cornered garlic: what can go wrong
How to identify three-cornered garlic
Three-cornered garlic treatment
Common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)
Common ragwort: what can go wrong
How to identify common ragwort
Common ragwort treatment
Broad-leaved dock (Rumex Obtusifolius)
Broad-leaved dock: what can go wrong
How to identify broad-leaved dock
Broad-leaved dock treatment
False lupin (Thermopsis lanceolata)
False lupin: what can go wrong
How to identify false lupin
False lupin treatment
1 of 49
Wormsmeat/Shutterstock ; Environet

How to spot stubborn species before they cause damage

Most gardeners are familiar with battling invasive weeds, but did you know some ornamental species can also become a nuisance?

Stubborn native and non-native species alike can not only cause damage to your home and garden, but if left to get out of control, can become a threat to neighbouring properties, sometimes resulting in an unwanted lawsuit. 

Click or scroll on to discover how to identify common invasive plants and how to responsibly treat them if you discover them on your property... 

Gallery view |
List View

Sally Coffey

27 June 2025

Features

See more on this topic

Share the love