Last month, the Daily Mail reported that a homeowner in Buckinghamshire had found Bohemian knotweed (Fallopia x bohemica) growing in his garden. Stuart Marshall from Aylesbury ended up calling in an invasive weed specialist to remove this troublesome plant from his property.

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SHORT ANSWER: No, Japanese knotweed is not poisonous. In fact, the plant can make a tasty and nutritious addition to all sorts of different recipes!

Japanese knotweed is a troublesome plant that causes a lot of problems here in the UK. It grows very quickly, it can cause damage as it spreads, and if there's Japanese knotweed in your garden, you may find it difficult to sell your property.

Still, knotweed's not all bad. Unlike some other invasive plants (such as giant hogweed, whose sap can cause severe skin inflammation), Japanese knotweed is not directly harmful to humans - you can actually cook it and eat it with no ill effect.

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We love plants, but as any gardener will tell you, they can be a nuisance when they grow in the wrong places.

It's especially crucial to keep roads clear of vegetation. All too often, weeds are allowed to flourish on roadsides until they're actually encroaching on the highway itself.

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If you have Japanese knotweed on your land, you're not obliged to destroy it, but it is your responsibility to ensure that this invasive weed doesn't spread to anybody else's property. Should the plant spread on your watch, you may find yourself liable from a legal standpoint.

So what happens when there's Japanese knotweed on land adjoining yours? Should you just sit back and relax, safe in the knowledge that you'll be entitled to compensation if the owner of the neighbouring plot allows their knotweed to encroach on your property?

Well, that's not what we recommend. Far better to take action now and make sure you're covered if the knotweed next door becomes your problem as well.

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SHORT ANSWER: To kill Japanese knotweed, we recommend a three-year herbicide programme, followed by a two-year monitoring period to make sure it doesn't come back. However, we also offer excavation and removal if you need quick results.

Like old habits and Bruce Willis, Japanese knotweed dies hard. This invasive plant species is tough and versatile - it can grow in all sorts of different environments, and it's very difficult to destroy. Just when you think you've gotten rid of it once and for all, spring arrives, and those purple shoots emerge from the ground yet again.

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