MUSKEGON, MI (WHTC) – The Muskegon Conservation District is urging people to report when they find Japanese knotweed.
The invasive plant is found throughout West Michigan, and conservation district program manager Julie Batty says it spreads quickly and is hard to kill.
Japanese knotwood grows through volcanic rock in Japan, and was brought to Michigan years ago as an ornamental plant. the state has grant money available to help landowners get rid of it using a strong herbicide.
It’s illegal to move the plant, and cutting it down helps it to spread even faster. It has hollow, bamboo-like stalks and heart shaped leaves, and people who find it are asked to call their local conservation district.
