Tuesday, May 28, 2002

Invasive Plants and Online Auctions

I was just tipped off via a Usenet posting that Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) is being sold by several people on eBay. A search of current and completed auctions uncovered many opportunities to buy knotweed in all its variations, from plain to variegated to pink-flowered. I can only assume that both buyers and sellers aren't aware of the invasive potential of this and related species. Hopefully web-savvy gardeners are steered away from such plants by the vast numbers of negative web pages that come up when doing informational searches. (Update 5/29: I emailed one of the eBay sellers and she let me know that she had already stopped selling Japanese knotweed.)

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