Anyone know name of this shrub, great forage now.

[Summerslease]

Fallopia baldschuanica (syn. Fallopia aubertii, Polygonum baldschuanicum) is a species of flowering plant in the knotweed family known by several common names, including Russian vine,[1] Bukhara fleeceflower, Chinese fleecevine, mile-a-minute and silver lace vine. It is native to Asia, particularly western China and Tibet, and it can be found growing wild in parts of Europe and North and Central America as an introduced species. It is grown as an ornamental plant for its flower-laced vines, and it is a fast-growing plant that is grown widely as cover for unsightly fences and other garden structures. However, it has the capacity to become an invasive species by spreading beyond its intended limits. The white flowers are decorative and provide nectar and pollen for the honey bee.

This is the Wikipedia entry and sums it up precisely.

 

[Davelin]

That's a first for Wikipedia then!

 

[BrianO]

Well

nectar and pollen for the honey bee.

has sold it to me, especially at this time of year, and given the masses of flowers on one plant, happy days in the Bee world.

OK, not one for general release in the countryside or for a tidy urban garden, but ideal I would say for an boundried ( such a word ? ) area where it will give late foraging bees a real boost in the form of a late nectar and pollen supply.

As for Glycophosphate, please no ! I know the lesser of the evils of the weedkiller world, but IMO alll should be banned. Have not used a spray of any nature for any purpose in 20 years and find that a replacement strategy of vigourous weeding out / cutting back works fine without poisoning soil and critters and critters who prey on those critters.

Who cares if we get the odd dandelion in the cobble lock and spots on our apples. ...... Hard hat on... incoming

 

[Amari]

Sometimes although hopefully we all hate to do it, you just have to reach for the glyphosate and soapy gloves...

What role do the soapy gloves play?

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

What role do the soapy gloves play?

As BrianO says, you use this stuff with great care; the puff about degrading in soil and so forth is bollocks. But if you have to use it, making up a soap solution and bathing individual leaves gives the highest target dose and the least overspill (IMHO: I sometimes have to use it on ground elder)

 

[BrianO]

the puff about degrading in soil and so forth is bollocks.

Brilliant !!!

Tell me what you really think !

OK, we will agree to differ , just cannot stand the thought of dousing chemicals over plants/soil. Though in saying that I drive a car that burns petrol and go on holidays by air so , glasshouses, stones etc !

 

[whoosling]

I had one of these. It took several years to kill it off by cutting off the growing shoots. It is incredibly fast growing and took over everything. It managed to get under tiles, behind guttering and generally everywhere. As someone likes big climbing plants and has a very voracious tangutica clematis I wouldn't recommend it!

I agree
It's taken me 20 years to get rid of the stuff !! very invasive not worth it even for the bees.

 

[alldigging]

Does it out compete himalayan balsam?