Estate agents in the UK do not want to sell houses with Japanese knotweed on the property. This invasive plant is extremely difficult to eradicate and often causes damage to buildings.

Invasive survival experts are taking over

The list of invasive alien plants is growing – plants whose growth habits enable them to rapidly out-compete other plants and negatively impact biological diversity. Nine new plants have been added to the EU’s list this year, including Himalayan or Indian balsam, giant hogweed and crimson fountaingrass. Several of them are already causing major problems.