Not only does it spread by rhizome, it also spreads by seed. You may have problems.

Fox:

You forgot to say: any part of knotweed will also start a new plant.
If one breack a piece from the potted knotweek, and it fall on the floor... the odds are good it will start from there.

Best best is to just stay away from it completely. I have heard that it is considered and handled as a hazmat material in some areas. Nothing from personal experiences but more from reading about it.

Kurt

Understood, thanks all. The area I planned to grow it in has no surrounding dirt. The deck is 1100 sq foot.

But if your saying seeds ingested by a bird for example and later dropped by chance in a neighbors yard or a field could potentially cause a new growth. Thats not good.

Is that a possibility too? Why does something that looks so interesting have the potential to cause such havoc?

Thanks all...Oh! Love the site too!!
CJ

Buy some freakin cannas.

Ok...Ok... Jeeeze!!! No need to get hostile!!

I got the Message!!!

Might want to consider some anger management boo! JMHO.

CJ

He's just kidding.

Knotweed is a pain to get rid of when established. Anyway there's tons of it all over the place. Better to get something few have. Maybe a hardy Masjoo.

See the link below

Here is a link that might be useful: Musa Basjoo (Japenese Fiber Banana)

I figured he was kidding, so I ordered $500 worth.

lol

just kiddin
CJ

That bananna plants a nice choice too.

Just out of curiosity, I entered "japanese knotweed" into froogle to see if people really sold it. I am happy to report that the first few things that came up were manuals on how to control JK. Curiously, though, JK seems to be a common ingredient in nutritional supplements!

BambooBob,

you should have a look at wikipedia

Here is a link that might be useful: Japanese_knotweed

In the New York area tours (by wildmansteve)are available on getting knotweed and cooking it. Surprizingly deer don't eat it.

Here is a link that might be useful: wildmansteve

Well, I guess I have a new respect for deer...