Japanese Knotweed can thrive in almost any environment and weather conditions. According to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, growing Japanese knotweed in the wild is considered an offense.
This exotically invasive weed grows at an extremely fast pace, surprisingly 2 inches per day, through its powerful rhizome network. This noxious weed emerges in early spring in acidic, seasonally wet soil, saline soil, and even fertile river edges due to vegetative spread.
Japanese knotweed lives a comfy life at the expense of its intelligent rhizome system. The shoots emerge in early springs which usually die in winters. Upon disturbing the ground, the rhizomes split into fragments. Each fragment is capable of producing shoots.
The ground can be disturbed by any means, including floods, earthquakes, or man-induced disturbances. The plant blooms during late summers till early fall. The floral scent invites bees and other pollinating insects to pollinate the plant and have their share of nectar.
After fertilization, the seeds develop which mature within two weeks and disperse through the wind to begin another lifecycle.