It is the scourge of home owners and gardeners, an invasive plant so strong that it can penetrate brick walls, foundations and even flood defences.
But ministers have been forced to admit defeat in the fight against Japanese knotweed, conceding that it would be too expensive to eradicate.
George Eustice, an environment minister, said there were “no plans to attempt a national eradication” because of the “prohibitively expensive” £1.5 billion cost attached to eliminating it, due to its widespread distribution.
The announcement follows decades of attempts to destroy the species, which arrived in Britain on a boat from Japan in 1850 at the request of the Royal Botanic Gardens of Kew.
The Telegraph: Ministers surrender in battle to eradicate Japanese knotweed
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