Plants

Freegling plants is great, but there are some invasive species that should not be allowed to be spread. https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=530 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 exchange, or export in any living form from your garden including the spread into neighbouring gardens of Yellow Skunk Cabbage [Lysichiton americanus] was prohibited as an invasive alien plant under the EU Regulations in March 2016.

From the RHS website :-https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=1209 "From March 2016 The EU Regulation on Invasive Alien Species will prohibit the sale and exchange of this species. Gardeners who already have it in their gardens must ensure it does not spread further.

A suggestion to kill the plant is 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 the recycling alive would be an offence and risk spreading it further.

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.

There are also threatened plants that freegling helps, 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)

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