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Bohemian knotweed (Polygonum xbohemicum)

Bohemian knotweed Synonyms: Fallopia xbohemica

Common Names: Japanese bamboo, Mexican bamboo, fleece flower

Description: Hybrid cross between Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) and Giant knotweed (Polygonum sachalinensis).

Habit: Stout perennial; grows from 6-12 ft (1.8-3.7 m) tall.

Leaves: Blades ovate, 5-25 cm long and 2-10 cm wide, with rounded apex with abruptly pointed tip and truncate to cordate base; lower veins with short (<0.1 mm), pointed hairs; entire margins.

Stems: Erect; clustered and glabrous.

Flowers: Clusters of flowers often with fewer branches, white to pink in color, 0.16-0.24 in (4-6 mm), tepals are obovate to elliptic, and apex is obtuse to acute

Fruit and seeds: Dark brown in color, shiny, 0.08-0.12 in (2-3 mm) long, smooth and three sided with flat wings that are 0.06-0.08 in (1.5-2.1 mm) wide.

Habitat: Native to Asia. Found in disturbed sites such has fields and pastures, wasteplaces and roadsides.

Reproduction: Mostly vegetatively from rhizomes and by seed. Each node on the plant stock is able to produce roots and new plants. New plants can sprout from small fragments.

Similar species: Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum).

Monitoring and rapid response: Mowing or cutting plant shoots is ineffective alone; however mowing followed by herbicide treatments will provide some control. Grubbing out small clumps when discovered can prevent new colonies from establishing. Entire root system much be removed. Currently no registered biological control agents for use on this species.

Credits: The information provided in this factsheet was gathered from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service.

Individual species images that appear with a number in a black box are courtesy of the Bugwood.org network (http://www.invasive.org).Individual photo author credits may not be included due to the small display size of the images and subsequent difficulty of reading the provided text. All other images appear courtesy of Google (http://images.google.com).


Common Name:

Bohemian knotweed

Scientific Name:

Polygonum xbohemicum

Family:

Polygonaceae
(Buckwheat)

Duration:

Perennial

Habit:

Herbs

USDA Symbol:

POBO10