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The Gunnera plant, otherwise known as giant rhubarb, thrives in damp habitats and can quickly overwhelm other plants causing damage to local ecosystems<\/p>\n
As a result of the nuisance it causes, the UK Government is now implementing a ban on a specific species of this popular plant.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This ban is similar to that cast upon other invasive species like giant hogweed and Japanese knotweed.<\/p>\n
The most common species of giant rhubarb in the UK are thought to be Gunnera manicata\u00a0or\u00a0Gunnera tinctoria.<\/p>\n
Gunnera manicata makes an impressive statement in gardens that originates from Brazil and Chile.<\/p>\n
READ MORE: <\/strong> Four plants you need to prune now to stimulate new growth and improve flowering<\/strong><\/p>\n However, the other, Gunnera tinctoria is classed as an \u201cinvasive species and spreads rapidly\u201d, according to invasive weeds\u00a0experts at PBA Solutions.<\/p>\n Gunnera tinctoria, has a similar growth habit to the edible, vegetable garden staple rhubarb. This plant has huge, deeply veined leaves at the top of upright, robust and prickly stalks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Large, conical spikes of reddish-green flowers emerge around the base of the plant in late spring.\u00a0These form dense seedheads full of an enormous quantity of viable seeds.<\/p>\n Don’t miss… <\/strong> The banning of Gunnera tinctoria has been enforced since 2017, but until now it was widely available and simply seen as exotic rather than destructive.<\/p>\n A recent study by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), has revealed that\u00a0the\u00a0manicata\u00a0variety appears to have been lost from cultivation not long after it was introduced.<\/p>\n This has been replaced by a hybrid of\u00a0Gunnera manicata\u00a0and\u00a0Gunnera tinctoria, which has been named\u00a0Gunnera \u00d7 cryptica. This species is similarly invasive to that of Gunnera tinctoria\u00a0and will now be banned.<\/p>\n
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