What to do if you see Himalayan balsam? Advice for gardeners
Even a wildlife charity has launched an appeal for volunteers to help clear the plant from growing up north.
The Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside Wildlife Trust's "Balsam Busters" group works to remove Himalayan Balsam during the summer, the BBC reports.
What to do if you see Himalayan balsam?
Himalayan balsam was first introduced to the UK by Victorian botanists in 1839.
However, it is now considered a weed since it crowds out native species and causes soil erosion along water courses.
Himalayan balsam flowers
The plant, which can grow to about 6ft 5in (2m) tall, blooms with pink or purple scented flowers from June to November.
Property expert Robert Quinton at Construction Megastore Building Materials explained more.
'You can spot Himalayan balsam from its pink flowers, but it's a highly invasive species that can damage any local biodiversity,' Mr Quinton said.
'If left unmanaged, it spreads rapidly and can overwhelm gardens and surrounding areas."
Should you remove Himalayan balsam?
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) advises that if you find Himalayan balsam is already growing in your garden, you should 'control or remove it'.
The plant is now considered a 'problematic weed', particularly along watercourses.
How to remove Himalayan balsam
Himalayan balsam needs to be pulled out by hand or cut as low as possible before it seeds.
Recommended reading:
Mr Quinton continued: 'The most effective way to tackle Himalayan balsam is by hand-pulling or cutting it back, ideally before it starts to flower.
'When pulling it up, make sure to remove the whole plant, roots and all, to stop it from growing back.
"In thicker patches, cutting the stems below the lowest node can also work well to keep it under control.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Gardeners warned of 'ticking time bomb' and told to act now
Householder should be aware of the issue before it's too late. Householders are being warned of a 'ticking time bomb' which may be growing in your garden. According to experts at PropertyMarket, if you have Japanese Knotweed near your home, you should act now. The pesky plant has a deceivingly harmless appearance, but if left undetected, it can have costly impacts on your property. During the summer months, the East Asian plant grows rapidly, usually by around 10cm per day, causing some serious damage along the way. It is easy to mistake this plant as a pleasant addition to your garden, but it is important to address its presence as a priority. As well as growing rapidly, it can reach heights of around three metres and burrows deep underground. Japanese Knotweed can force its way through expansion joints in concrete, cavity walls, weaknesses in the damaged mortar between paving slabs or bricks, and it can also hinder drains and sewers. If left unaddressed, it can also potentially cause substantial structural damage, especially to properties that are more vulnerable, such as character homes. The plant, described by the PropertyMarket experts as a "ticking time bomb", reportedly causes over £170million in damages to properties each year. It can be helpful to seek expert advice to help plan an effective treatment regime for Japanese Knotweed and to help minimise any potential return. If you haven't heard about Japanese Knotweed or don't know what it looks like, then it is very easy to miss it in your garden. "This plant has various growth stages throughout the year, which can make it hard to identify. In the spring, it will have red or purple asparagus-type shoots, quickly transforming into green or bamboo-like stems, but then in the early summer, it is usually fully grown at three metres high. By this time of year, the plant flowers will produce clusters of spiky stems in tiny creamy-white flowers. The leaves are luscious green and show their unique flat, shovel, or heart-shaped appearance. During the late autumn and winter, the leaves drop, and the canes become dark brown. The Japanese knotweed then remains dormant during the winter months before coming back to life in spring. The correct treatment will depend on a variety of factors. However, there are normally two methods to beat the issue: herbicide treatment or physical removal through excavation. A severe Japanese Knotweed infestation can make your home significantly harder to sell and can lower the value of your property. Buyers may look to renegotiate the initial offer for any property, if they know they will need to spend time and money eradicating any of the plant. Homewares deal of the week Looking to beat the heat as temperatures continue to rise? Then look no further than Dunelm's White Rechargeable USB Desk Fan that has an almost perfect five star rating for its small, yet mighty, design that means it works "even on the lowest setting." Easy to connect via a USB cable that can be connected to laptops and computers, this desk fan is perfect for those who find themselves working from home on these sweaty, humid summer days. However, it doesn't need to remain plugged-in, as the rechargeable element and compact six-inch design means it can be taken anywhere, even placed on a bedside table overnight on summer nights thanks to its "quiet" operation. It's finished with four speed settings to choose from and an adjustable angle that can help direct the cool breeze where it is needed, unlike other models that can sometimes be stuck in one place. As for Dunelm's own mini desk fan, it has received an impressive 4.8 rating from impressed shoppers who say that, despite its size, it is "surprisingly powerful" and "a literal life-saver" during this kind of weather. One five-star review read: "Fantastic fan, surprisingly powerful, quiet, lasts for quite a long time when charged, very hard to find a decent small rechargeable fan but this is it, will be buying more!" Beat the heat with Dunelm's White Rechargeable USB Desk Fan that costs just £25. However, most UK lenders will still potentially lend to consumers if they can feel assured that the problem can be treated effectively. Michael Holden, a former NAEA Propertymark president, said: 'When buying a home, the key issue is to make sure that you ask the vendor and the estate agent as to whether the property has had any present or historic issues with Japanese Knotweed or invasive plant species generally. "Bamboo, for example is now becoming more of a concern. Where there are potential issues, it is advisable that a specialist survey is undertaken to identify invasive plants in the property's garden and any other matters that would require further investigation.'
BBC News
14 hours ago
- BBC News
Wales' papers: Tributes to 'Mr Wrexham' and hope for missing man
Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Antiques Roadshow guest gasps as he learns hefty value of 'scary' bowl passed down from grandfather that he 'kept under the stairs'
An Antiques Roadshow guest gasped when he learned the hefty value of a 'scary' bowl passed down to him. A rediscovered video from 2015 sees expert Duncan Campbell assess a Kashmiri begging bowl on the BBC show. The owner of the interesting piece revealed he kept it 'under the stairs' and described the bowl as 'attractive in a scary sort of way'. 'It was my grandfather's,' the guest explained. 'It's been handed down to me from my grandfather who was in army in the North West frontier in the 1890s. So we think that's where he got it, in the area which is now sort of North West Pakistan.' Duncan eagerly gushed: 'I can tell you exactly where it comes from. It's covered in local symbols. It comes from Kashmir.' He went on to reveal the different details, including 'local flora', that helped identify where the bowl originated from. The expert shared how the antique was based on a 'begging bowl' which 'dervish monks used to carry to collect arms from the locals'. 'It's a popular shape that was used by the local craftsmen to turn into all sorts of things, for example your lovely centrepiece, which is not ever intended to be sold to a Kashmiri, it was always expected to be sold to a foreigner,' Duncan explained. He described the piece as 'wonderful' and noted the size was 'on a very grand scale'. Duncan went on to share his valuation of the antique bowl. He said: '... As far as date of manufacture goes, this is going to be about 1890 and the market for what's essentially Islamic metal work has grown and grown over recent years. 'This is not only skillful work but a really nice looking object, it has some considerable value too. It would cost you somewhere around the £4,000 mark.' 'Oh, right. That's more than I was thinking, thank you very much,' the surprised guest replied. It comes after another episode of Antiques Roadshow from 2016 saw presenter Fiona Bruce, 61, and the experts head to Scarborough Grand Spa Hall on the North Yorkshire coast. The specialist appraisers met with guests to value their family heirlooms and heritage items - with expert Ronnie Archer Morgan, 75, taken aback by one in particular. He spoke to a woman who had brought in a Polynesian, club-like tribal weapon for evaluation - which was unlike anything he had seen on the programme before. Ronnie, an expert in tribal art and weaponry, opened by asking: 'What's a feminine person like you doing with a big, heavy, aggressive thing like this?' She explained: 'Well, it belongs to my dad actually, it's not mine, and it was passed down to him by his dad who acquired it through some elderly spinster ladies who gave it to him. He was a solicitor in Scarborough town so that's how but I don't know anything more.' The slightly unclear origins of the item did not matter to Ronnie - who was just floored by its quality. He exclaimed: 'Amazing. I can't actually believe what I'm looking at. This is absolutely superb. 'It's a Fijian Bulibuli and this is a thing of rare beauty. It is really what us collectors look for. This is the best I've ever seen.' This type of weapon from the South Pacific island nation typically has a straight, long handle with a rounded head and protruding decorative circles on it. The guest's item was completely textbook, with raised carved studs. She responded, incredulous, to Ronnie's praise for it: 'Really? Wow!' By the end of the discussion, Ronnie had massively built up the anticipation ahead of the all-important valuation - and it did not disappoint. And with an unbelievable object comes an unbelievable price', he said. 'I'm thinking about this. The market for this sort of thing is more in Paris or in Brussels and in New York. 'But they get very excited and they've got galleries that deal in this sort of stuff and a nice one of these would probably be £8,000 to £10,000.' The guest, eyes wide, was astonished by this - but Ronnie was not done yet. 'This, I would stick my neck out and say if you had to buy this from the Sablon [antiques market] in Brussels, I think it would cost you between £30,000 and maybe £35,000. 'I really think it could make that.' The woman was blown away by the prospect of such a life-changing sum: 'Wow! That's amazing!'
