Plants

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Freegling plants is great, but there are some invasive species that should not be allowed to be spread. After conversations on Central in June 2022 (https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/plants-specifically-tree-sapling-queries/5096), we reviewed the content of this page and concluded we do need to be careful about some specific plants, although tree saplings and trees are not illegal to give away.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/prevention-protection/invasive-non-native-plants has some good information. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) there are nearly 40 plants that are banned from being shared or propagated; the most common are:

Yellow Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

The sale or release of Yellow Skunk Cabbage [Lysichiton americanus] (including the spread into neighbouring gardens) was prohibited as an invasive alien plant under the EU Regulations on Invasive Alien Species in March 2016. The RHS advised then that "Gardeners who already have it in their gardens must ensure it does not spread further."

A suggestion to kill the plant and allow it to then be disposed of as organic matter is to simply place it in a doubled bin bag (or as many as necessary) sealed with an air-excluding knot and leave it to rot for a year or so. Taking it to a recycling centre alive would be an offence and risk spreading it further.

For more info see Good practice management guidance for American skunk cabbage (PDF) - RAPID (2018).

Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)

A close relative of cow parsley, it can reach over 3m (10ft) in height. It is potentially invasive and the sap can cause severe skin burns. It is widely distributed in the wild and poses a serious risk to people who are unaware of its potential for harm.

Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

Bamboo-like stems shoot to over 2.1m (7ft), suppressing all other growth. Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 includes Japanese knotweed and other invasive non-native plants.

The full list of banned plants in EU, England & Wales (EW) and Northern Ireland (NI) are

  • Acacia saligna (golden wreath wattle) EU
  • Acaena spp. (pirri-pirri bur) NI
  • Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven) EU
  • Allium paradoxum (few-flowered leek) EW, NI
  • Allium triquetrum (three-cornered garlic) EW
  • Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed) EU
  • Andropogon virginicus (broomsedge) EU
  • Arundo donax (giant reed) NI
  • Asclepias syriaca (milkweed) EU
  • Azolla filiculoides (water fern) EW, NI, Banned from sale in UK since 2014
  • Baccharis halmifolia (tree groundsel) EU
  • Cabomba caroliniana (Carolina fanwort, water shield) EU
  • Cardiospermum grandiflorum (balloon vine) EU
  • Carpobrotus edulis (Hottentot fig) EW, NI
  • Cortaderia jubata (purple pampas grass) EU
  • Cotoneaster bullatus (cotoneaster, hollyberry) EW
  • Cotoneaster horizontalis (cotoneaster) EW
  • Cotoneaster integrifolius (entire-leaved cotoneaster) EW
  • Cotoneaster microphyllus (small-leaved cotoneaster) EW
  • Cotoneaster simonsii (Himalayan cotoneaster) EW
  • Crassula helmsii (Australian swamp stonecrop, New Zealand pygmyweed) EW, NI, Banned from sale in UK since 2014
  • Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora (montbretia) EW
  • Diphysma crassifolium (purple dewplant) EW
  • Egeria densa (large flowered waterweed) NI
  • Ehrharta calycina (purple veldgrass) EU
  • Eichhornia crassipes (water hyacinth) EU
  • Elodea nuttallii (Nuttall’s water weed) EU
  • Elodea spp. (waterweeds) EW, NI
  • Fallopia japonica (RHS accepted name Reynoutria japonica) (Japanese knotweed) EW, NI
  • Fallopia japonica × Fallopia sachalinensis [F. × bohemica] (hybrid knotweed) EW, NI
  • Fallopia sachalinensis (giant knotweed) EW, NI
  • Gunnera tinctoria (giant rhubarb) EU
  • Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Senegal tea) EU
  • Hippophae rhamnoides (sea buckthorn) NI
  • Hyacinthoides hispanica (Spanish bluebell) NI
  • Hydrocotyle ranunculoides (floating pennywort) EW, NI,Banned from sale in UK since 2014
  • Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed) EU
  • Heracleum persicum (giant hogweed, Tromsø palm) EU
  • Heracleum sosnowskyi (giant hogweed) EU
  • Humulus scandens (Japanese hop) EU
  • Hydrocotyle ranunculoides (floating pennywort) EU
  • Impatiens glandulifera (Himalayan balsam) EU
  • Lagarosiphon major (curly waterweed) EU
  • Lamiastrum galeobdolon subsp. argentatum (RHS accepted name Lamium galeobdolon 'Florentinum') (variegated yellow archangel) EW
  • Lespedeza cuneata (Chinese shrub clover) EU
  • Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) NI
  • Ludwigia grandiflora (water primrose) EU, Banned from sale in UK since 2014
  • Ludwigia peploides (floating water primrose) EU, Banned from sale in UK since 2014
  • Lygodium japonicum (climbing fern) EU
  • Lysichiton americanus (skunk cabbage) EU 
  • Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass) EU
  • Myriophyllum aquaticum (parrot’s feather) EU, Banned from sale in UK since 2014
  • Myriophyllum heterophyllum (broadleaf watermilfoil) EU
  • Nymphoides peltata (fringed waterlily) NI, RI
  • Parthenium hysterophorus (parthenium weed) EU
  • Parthenocissus inserta (false Virginia creeper) EW
  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) EW
  • Pennisetum setaceum (crimson fountain grass) EU 
  • Persicaria wallichii (RHS accepted name Koenigia polystachya) (Himalayan knotweed) RI
  • Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce) EW, NI, RI
  • Polygonum perfoliatum (RHS accepted name Persicaria perfoliata) (mile-a-minute weed) EU
  • Prosopis juliflora (mesquite) EU
  • Pueraria montana var. lobata (kudzu) EU
  • Rhododendron luteum (yellow azalea) EW
  • Rhododendron ponticum (rhododendron) EW, RI
  • Rhododendron ponticum × Rhododendron maximum (rhododendron) EW, RI
  • Rosa rugosa (Japanese rose) EW
  • Rubus spectabilis (salmonberry) NI, RI
  • Sagittaria latifolia (duck potato) EW
  • Salvinia molesta (giant salvinia) EU 
  • Smyrnium perfoliatum (perfoliate Alexanders) EW
  • Spartina spp. and hybrids (cord-grasses) NI, RI
  • Stratiotes aloides (water soldier) NI
  • Trapa natans (water chestnut) NI, RI
  • Triadica sebifera (Chinese tallow tree) EU
  • Zostera japonica (dwarf eelgrass) NI, RI

From Gov.uk (Moving prohibited plants, plant pests, pathogens and soil - GOV.UK:

You must have a licence to import, move or keep any plants, parts of plants or seeds listed in Schedule 6 of the [Plant Health (EU Exit) Regulations 2020] (The Plant Health (Phytosanitary Conditions) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020).


Updated Legislation from Gov.uk:

ANNEX 13 List of plants, plant products and other objects for which a UK plant passport is required for their movement within Great Britain or for their introduction into Great Britain from a CD territory.

Includes many things but specifically "Plants of Abies Mill., Larix Mill., Picea A. Dietr., Pinus L. and Pseudotsuga Carr over three metres in height, including felled or fallen trees, other than fruit, seeds, leaves or foliage."

Threatened Plants

There are also threatened plants that freegling can help, for instance:

Marsh Marigold in particular has the "Status: Amber - Vulnerable and Near-Threatened" (from the Plantlife website:-http://www.plantlife.org.uk/uk/discover-wild-plants-nature/plant-fungi-species/marsh-marigold)

British Bluebells are threatened by the invasion of Spanish Bluebells. Although Spanish ones are not illegal to exchange or sell, it is recommended that they are kept away from rural gardens and woodlands to preserve the British bluebells. A discussion on Central in November 2022 gives some insight - https://discourse.ilovefreegle.org/t/spanish-bluebells/5653


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