Plants

Freegling plants is great, but there are some invasive species that must not be spread.

Following discussions on Central in June 2022 (see the thread), we reviewed this page and concluded that we do need to be careful about some specific plants - though tree saplings and trees themselves are not illegal to give away.

GOV.UK says that in England and Wales you must not do any of the following with invasive alien plants:

• import
• keep
• breed
• transport
• sell
• grow, cultivate, or allow to reproduce

These rules also apply to specimens of listed invasive alien species, including any:

• live part of the species, such as seeds or cuttings that might grow or reproduce
• hybrids, varieties or breeds of the species that might survive and subsequently reproduce

Plants banned from propagation

The RHS has good information on this. Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, nearly 40 plants are banned from being shared or propagated. The most common are:

Yellow skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

The sale or release of yellow skunk cabbage (including allowing it to spread into neighbouring gardens) was prohibited as an invasive alien plant under the EU Regulations on Invasive Alien Species in March 2016. The RHS advises that "gardeners who already have it in their gardens must ensure it does not spread further."

If you need to kill and dispose of the plant, one suggestion is to place it in a doubled bin bag (or as many as necessary), seal it 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 risks spreading it further.

For more information, 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) tall. It's potentially invasive, and its sap can cause severe skin burns. It's widely distributed in the wild and poses a serious risk to people unaware of the danger.

Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)

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

Full list of banned and restricted plants

The Royal Horticultural Society lists the following as covered by regulations in Europe ("EU", including the UK and Republic of Ireland), England & Wales ("EW"), Scotland ("S"), Northern Ireland ("NI") and the Republic of Ireland ("RI"). * marks the 36 species banned from being planted anywhere; others may be planted on your own land (at least in EW) but must not be allowed to spread into the wild.

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

Threatened plants

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

• Marsh marigold - status "Amber: Vulnerable and Near-Threatened" (from the Plantlife website).
• British bluebells are threatened by the spread of Spanish bluebells. Spanish bluebells aren't illegal to exchange or sell, but it's recommended to keep them away from rural gardens and woodlands, to protect British bluebells. See a November 2022 discussion on Central for more background.

External links

• Moving specified plants, plant pests, pathogens and soil - GOV.UK
• Invasive non-native (alien) plant species: rules in England and Wales - GOV.UK (includes lists sorted by common name)
• Be Plant Wise, National Biodiversity Network
• Be Plant Wise, GB Non-Native Species Secretariat

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