At the end of the 19th century, the first seeds of creeping knotweed (Fallopia baldschuanica), also known as Chinese knotweed, reached Europe. The extremely fast-growing climbing plant quickly became at home here and has even become a plague in some regions - knotweed is difficult to control due to its strong root growth. It is also called “architect's comfort” because it transforms facades, buildings, walls or fences into a green oasis in no time. However, the plant is not the first choice for balcony greenery.
Is knotweed suitable for balcony greening?
The creeping knotweed is not ideal for balcony greenery as it grows extremely quickly and is difficult to control. Its strong root growth can be problematic in containers and the plant requires a lot of care to thrive in a limited space.
Why knotweed is not suitable for balcony greening
At first glance, knotweed seems to be the perfect choice for greening the balcony - for example as a privacy screen. The plant grows quickly and its dense foliage offers wonderful protection from prying eyes. It also thrives even in partially shaded or even shady places and is therefore suitable even for locations in unfavorable locations. However, it is better not to choose knotweed for a balcony planting, as it will be difficult for you to control its extreme growth - it will be particularly difficult if you do not live on the ground floor, but rather higher up and may have to remove runners from gutters or even from the roof.
Strong root growth
In addition, knotweed not only grows very strongly above ground, but also underground: when planted in the garden, its roots can reach several meters deep, and they are also very wide-growing and finely branched. For this reason, keeping them in a container is only successful if the containers are sufficiently large and are properly cared for - however, as a rule, the plant will not feel particularly comfortable in a planter.
Advantages and disadvantages of knotweed
In the following table we have clearly compared the most important advantages and disadvantages of planting knotweed - not just on the balcony.
| Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
| very fast growth | tends to grow |
| opaque foliage | strong growth is difficult to contain |
| lush bloom | Shoots have strong destructive power |
| long flowering period | makes a lot of mess, especially during the flowering period |
| very robust | hard to remove |
| also thrives in partial shade or shade | wraps around grids, pipes etc. extremely tightly |
| drops leaves very late | is deciduous |
| can be cut close to the ground | needs a lot of care as a potted plant |
Tips & Tricks
If you decide to plant a balcony with knotweed, make sure that the very thirsty plant is supplied with sufficient water. However, waterlogging must be avoided at all costs.
