Specific weed identification (New Jersey) (flowers, growing, weeds, spring)

[chrisbrooklyn]

Hello,

My boyfriend's parents have a weed growing in their lawn. It pops up in the middle of other bushes and flowers they've already planted. The roots are very thick and round, and grow deep into the ground. They are difficult to pull out. I've included a photo. Can anyone help identify it?

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8159/7...6ec770ce_b.jpg

Thank you,
Christine

[azoria]

Pachysandra?

Which is a ground cover and not a weed. But it can become invasive.

Invasive Exotic Plant Tutorial - Japanese pachysandra

[J&Em]

This one's easy... do you want the good news or bad first?

Good news is it is edible....

Bad news is it is a horrible invasive that takes a lot of work to get rid of.

It's called Japanese Knotweed.

PCA Alien Plant Working Group - Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)

Japanese Knotweed: Dreadable Edible | Eat The Weeds and other things, too

[azoria]

J&Em, are you sure this is knotweed? Generally you're right on the money, but I've seen knotweed around here and it doesn't look like the OP's photo.

If it is knotweed....the National Guard should be alerted and the property quarantined. Knotweed is a top invasive plant.
Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica (Polygonales: Polygonaceae)

J&Em, I'm still leaning toward pachysandra.....

[Rambling Iris]

Do you have a local nursery that can help? We have a University extension office that has a lot of good info and helps with things like this.

[wit-nit]

J&Em is correct, just look at the difference in the leaf foilage.

[J&Em]

Originally Posted by azoria

J&Em, are you sure this is knotweed? Generally you're right on the money, but I've seen knotweed around here and it doesn't look like the OP's photo.

If it is knotweed....the National Guard should be alerted and the property quarantined. Knotweed is a top invasive plant.
Japanese knotweed, Fallopia japonica (Polygonales: Polygonaceae)

J&Em, I'm still leaning toward pachysandra.....

Azoria I am quite sure! Pachysandra don't have the same kind of woody stem or deep and thick roots. I should explain why I recognize it. Besides my gardening background I also have extensive training for conservation (especially wetland plants and animals) for the northeast USA and much of NJ has very similar habitats and conditions. The knotweed is a very invasive plant often encroaching on wetlands and disturbed sites.

Once you've seen it as it emerges you know what it looks like without a doubt. It has woody stems in spring that look ridged somewhat like bamboo and the shoots come out just as in the picture. In the second link about halfway down is this picture:

While not the best it was the first I could find to show the same time of development.

Originally Posted by nitram

J&Em is correct, just look at the difference in the leaf foilage.

The leaves can be tricky until they are out much further when it comes to ID but those shoots just screamed knotweed. Some ID's I don't feel as sure on, especially when the image isn't crystal clear, but those things are just screaming knotweed. Thanks for the "back up" on the ID.

After some digging I can't find any authority to report it to in NJ but the OP can suggest they check in with either a city/town or county conservation officer or if they are very near to a public park, they can check in with the people in charge to see if they have an eradication program and if they can help. There is a pdf from NJ on eradication which might be helpful to the OP but I won't get into lest the anti roundup people start in. http://www.nj.gov/dep/njisc/images/nav/j_knotweed.pdf