Bloomin foreigners coming over here and taking over

I'm pretty sure that's what I've got a load of in my garden basically growing as weeds... seems popular with the bees and butterflies though, so, meh...

Need to get them up from the roots, and be sure to crush the heads.

Need to get them up from the roots, and be sure to crush the heads.

You talking about Farage and Yaxley Lennon or the pretty flowers?

I’m pretty sure that’s what I’ve got a load of in my garden basically growing as weeds… seems popular with the bees and butterflies though, so, meh…

It's a very invasive species and quickly crowds out the native flora. It's an offence to actively spread it. OTOH it's edible, so fill yer boots.

Should be in the Himalayanists thread.

Edible? Every day's a school day

It’s a very invasive species and quickly crowds out the native flora.

Yes it is... I need to pull a load up as its choking my sage bush, it grows back reall quick too if you dont pull the roots out.

its choking my sage bush

Ive always wanted an intelligent bush.

I was astounded to see it everywhere in the Black Forest (kinzigtal) last year, especially in the forests above Wolfach.

☹️

It really is the most bastidy of weedy bastids.

?

Edible? Every day’s a school day

“After flowering between June and October, the plant forms seed pods 2 to 3 cm (3⁄4 to 1+1⁄4 in) long and 8 mm broad (1⁄4 in), which explode when disturbed,[6] scattering the seeds up to 7 metres (23 feet).

The green seed pods, seeds, young leaves and shoots are all edible. The flowers can be turned into a jam or parfait.[7]”

The best way to collect the seeds from ripe pods is to carefully put a large bag over the top then hold it closed below the pods, then squeeze the bag, you’ll feel the pods explode. One problem is that the plant often grows along river banks, so getting to it can be problematic.
It’s easier to control than many invasive plants, just hacking the plants down or digging them up before they flower, or at least before the pods ripen - it’s the fact they can send the seeds so far that’s the main issue, plus the seeds float downstream and spread even further that way.
Good on salads, apparently, there are recipes around for using Himalayan Balsam.

It really is the most bastidy of weedy bastids.

Giant hogweed and Japanese Knotweed have entered the chat.

Giant hogweed and Japanese Knotweed have entered the chat.

Saying "hold my beer".

Noticed last night that a stream at the local golf course is choked with balsam. It's prone to flooding and blocking quite a busy road at the best of times.

Himalayan Balsam's main environmental impact is to greatly speed up the erosion of riverbanks and the like. It crowds out 'proper' riverbank species with deep root systems that anchor the bank. Then, in the winter it dies back to nothing so the bank is exposed and doesn't have a deep root system holding it together.

Edible? Every day’s a school day

everything is edible at least once

seems popular with the bees and butterflies though, so, meh…

The thing with butterflies is that whilst they might be able to feed from any flower, their caterpillars  need a specific plant.  The butterflies we find here will be specific to a native plant, and the Himalayan Balsam is getting rid of those. So it's very much not good for the butterflies.

There's a load of it by the stream near me.  I have read that if you cut it below the first knuckle i.e. just above the ground, it dies.  This makes it really easy to cut down those big thickets with a brush hook as the stems are so soft.  When cut down like this before they set seed, it does stay gone, because they are annuals.  If it's mixed with other plants you can just hack the lot back (close to the ground) because at least by me the native plants are all perennials so will come back quickly enough.

The wet weather has been good for them, but it's also been cool so they are somewhat late. The ones by me have not set seed yet.  I cut down masses of it a few weeks back, I need to do the next bit asap.  Worth doing because you can kill it and it does stay gone - until more seeds arrive, but that seems to take a while.

Yup, quite a lot of this stuff around York, especially on the Foss. Some greeny types came in to pull some of it up, but quickly gave up, perhaps after seeing how much of it there is

My adopted guerilla garden has JK and HB that I keep on top of. I do begrudgingly like HB because of it's ability to germinate and root pretty much almost anywhere! Also it's ability to carry on growing even once it's been snapped/pulled out of the ground.

I often nibble on the seeds and flowers when out walking, didn't know the pods were edible though, will have to try that.

One thing to note is that they can grow new shoots out the side of the stem (a bit like brambles) so squashing them flat or even uprooting and then dropping back on the ground won't have much effect. Pile them up or drop them on stony ground or something, so they die before getting a chance to regrow.

Pretty flowers and the bees love them so it's a shame they're so invasive.