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Swansea City Council Knotweed Officer Sean Hathaway inspects Japanese knotweed growing near Swansea Marina. Scientists are to jet across the world in search of natural predators to control the concrete-cracking superweed described as the country's most invasive plant. 10/02/02: Research on ways to tackle Britain's most invasive plant is taking place at the nursery of the 86 million multi-environment Eden project in Cornwall. Japanese knotweed, introduced to UK in the mid 19th century, has caused havoc nationwide with its ability to grow an inch a day, crack concrete, blight development land and crowd out native species. The plant's massive root system can penetrate 15ft into the ground, and new ones can grow from tiny fragments. 10/06/03 : A pioneering 2 million battle is being waged against Britain's most invasive plant - concrete-cracking Japanese knotweed, it emerged. A UK-wide partnership has been set up to find natural ways of controlling the plant, which has already cost hundreds of millions of pounds in damage and control costs nationwide. The plant, introduced from Japan in the 19th century, can grow an inch a day, its roots can penetrate 15 feet into the ground and new ones grow from tiny fragments. (Photo by Barry Batchelor - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)