To unsuspecting gardeners, Japanese knotweed plant cuttings are lovely to look at with their heart-shaped bold green leaves and white clustered flowers. If you know someone with a green thumb, a plant may be a great gift. However, you may want to make sure it's not an invasive species like the one listed for sale in the snapshot featured in this Reddit post. That is why the original poster asked: "Why does this exist?"
Why is this a problem? Japanese knotweed is one of the most invasive species in the world and can create major problems for your landscape. Because of its rhizomes, the aggressive plant can rapidly spread and sprout new dense plants that reach massive heights — up to 15 feet tall. As it sucks nutrients from the soil and blocks sunlight, the plant chokes your native vegetation.
Since there is little growth under the thickets, the soil becomes prone to erosion. According to Science News, 57 billion tons of soil in the American Midwest have already eroded.
Therefore, it's easy to understand the ire of the OP and several commenters. Anyone without knowledge of the impact of such an invasive species can plant these and unknowingly destroy their green space. When dealing with such a weed, all hope isn't lost since you can rewild your yard over time.
Imagine waking up to the songs of hummingbirds and flutters of butterflies. Your home can become a haven for friendly wildlife and pollinators that keep the food chain going when you invest in and protect a native garden from an invasive species like the Japanese knotweed. You'll have healthier plants that naturally vibe with the environment and require less water.
You can assume no one in the comments of the post in the r/InvasiveSpecies subreddit will be paying the $10 price for the cuttings on sale.
As one person proclaimed: "My eye is twitching with rage."
One scary thought is that "some people actually plant this in their yards cause they think it's pretty cause it has nice big heart-shaped leaves and requires little care and maintenance."
Such irresponsible sales aren't an anomaly, as one person said: "I see dozens of invasives for sale at local nurseries and Facebook marketplace. … butterfly bush, nandina, burning bush, English ivy … honeysuckle, privets, sweet autumn clematis … so many of them have lovely native alternatives that get overlooked."
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