Which invasive plant is the most troublesome in your garden?

I know some will disagree, but i have a very pretty perriwinkle problem. There is a lot of creeping Charlie, and creeping myrtle in my yard.

Japanese knotweed. Hands down. I've been fighting it here for 18 years now and still pull new shoots twice a day.

From this weeks Buckeye Yard and Garden Line:
WEED - JAPANESE KNOTWEED (Polygonum cuspidatum). Japanese knotweed, otherwise known as Mexican Bamboo, was introduced from eastern Asia in the late 1800s as an ornamental, but soon escaped from gardens to colonize disturbed areas. It is now widely distributed through much of the United States. Japanese knotweed is an erect, broad-leaved, semi-woody perennial that spreads by long rhizomes and occasionally by seeds. This weed can grow 3-6' in height. It prefers moist well-drained soils and is a common weed of ditches and roadsides. Strong red shoots emerge in early spring and produce dense clumps of plants with reddish or speckled stems. Small white flowers are produced from leaf axils in late summer.



Control of Japanese knotweed is difficult. Mechanical control requires constant pulling, cutting, and removal of rhizomes or stems until the remaining roots die. New plants can be produced from any remaining rhizomes so diligent removal of the entire root system is required.



Control with systemic herbicides has some success. Multiple applications are required to control this weed and application should be targeted when there is sufficient leaf surface area to pick up the herbicide. Applications after the plant blooms are sometimes more effective. As always, read and follow the label instruction and precautions when using any pesticide.

Hope this helps. A passable rhubarb pie can be made with the young stalks

Thanks. Between me and my neighbor we've tried pretty much everything. At this point it's a war of attrition...I'm determined this year to pull every shoot I can find. If I can't starve it that way I'm hoping to at least dissuade it from living in the garden.