Japanese knotweed, giant hogweed and other invasive plants

Invasive non-native plants are species that have been brought into the United Kingdom that have the ability to spread causing damage to the environment, the economy, our health and the way we live. Noxious weeds are native species, which have been deemed to cause a problem to farming productivity.

You must not plant or otherwise cause to grow in the wild any plant listed on schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.

Invasive plants

If you have invasive plants on land that you own or occupy, you must comply with specific legal responsibilities, including:

• spraying herbicides - see spraying invasive plants with herbicide
• burning invasive plants - see cutting and burning invasive plants
• burial of soil containing invasive plant material - see burying invasive plant material on site
• off-site waste disposal - see disposing of invasive plants and contaminated soil off-site

You do not need to notify anyone about the invasive plants on your land.

Invasive plants are listed in schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985, as amended by section 27 schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.

Noxious weeds

Noxious weeds are those that are considered able to cause harm to agriculture. The seven species of 'noxious weed' are:

• common wild oat
• winter wild oat
• spear thistle
• creeping thistle
• broad leafed dock
• curled leafed dock
• common ragwort

If you have any noxious weeds on your land, you are responsible for controlling them. You must prevent them from spreading onto adjoining land.