Popular aquatic plant water hyacinth will soon disappear from UK ponds after the European Commission finally published its list of species of EU wide concern, as part of the Invasive Alien Species Regulation.
The list effectively bans long-term sale of water hyacinth in the UK, along with four other aquatic plants and the red-eared slider (terrapin).
According to advice issued by DEFRA, retailers and wholesalers have 12 months to clear their shelves of these species. Customers with water hyacinth in their ponds do not have to remove it but must not let it spread elsewhere while those with the affected terrapin species must ensure they do not breed and cannot pass them on to other people.
“We appreciate this will be very frustrating for many of our members. We made the case continuously that water hyacinth cannot survive UK winters so effectively all plants in ponds at the moment will naturally die out. Unless shops have a contract with a wholesaler to supply for next year, customers will not be able to replace this popular pond plant next season,” explained OATA’s Chief Executive Dominic Whitmee.
OATA: Say goodbye to water hyacinth as EU bans the plant from UK garden ponds
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