What should I do with my gunnera now that it has been banned in the UK? (giant rhubarb)

Although gunnera tinctoria has been banned for a number of years due to its invasive nature in certain parts of the UK, most nurseries circumvented this by simply listing all gunnera as the hitherto perfectly legal gunnera manicata. However, since scientists discovered that gunnera manicata is actually a hybrid of both manicata and tinctoria (known as gunnera cryptica), it has left both species banned.
With that in mind, in this video I dig up a gunnera tinctoria from my garden and muse on the correct method of disposal.
#exoticgarden #tropicalgarden #gunnera
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[@ceramicmechanics9643]

It seems crazy to ban them, my manicata has been in the ground near my pond for at least 15 years and hasn't been invasive at all

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Agreed!

[@brendasg155]

Beautiful plant, I can't believe they banned 'em, it's not like they're gonna take over. They should concentrate on eradicating knot weed and giant hog weed

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Agreed. They are much bigger problems with invasive species than gunnera.

[@Knapper94]

The signature hand flick at the start of each video though I never thanked you for the stickers did I? one sits proudly in my new plastic walk in greenhouse !

[@greatnorthernexotic]

It's not easy out here for faceless channels, trying to add a human element to videos 😁

[@desertplantsofavalon]

WOW I never realised Gunnera was banned in UK, I used to grow this plant in my garden when I lived in the Republic of Ireland, but now I live up in Northern Ireland that comes under the UK, I wonder if you would be able to sell to growers in the Republic of Ireland ? thanks so much for sharing and have a wonderful plant powered new week XXXX

[@greatnorthernexotic]

From what I can see, it's been banned in the EU for a while, and UK laws are the ones that have caught up.

[@RossIsBored]

I was looking at them on eBay, awesome plants

[@greatnorthernexotic]

They really are - and not at all invasive in your average garden. 😄

[@Harry-qy5gn]

Amazon and ebay still for sale

[@greatnorthernexotic]

I imagine that'll gradually die down over the next year or so.

[@brocktoon8]

It's not illegal if you already have them planted in the ground.

[@BeatriceGardens]

You say that however ebay is still Selling the gunnera in the UK. Mine are all in pots.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

I've seen them still listed online by nurseries since the ban. I think it'll take time, and even then I wonder how or if it'll be policed.

[@alien11able]

Such a shame! Gunnera isn't banned in my part pf the world but unfortunately, gunnera won't even grow in my climate.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yeah it's unfortunate because for most of the UK these plants aren't invasive - in fact we have to protect them in winter for them to survive 😂

[@marianne9798]

I am sure many people will give away Oh dear it accidentally disappeared from outside my house...😂

[@lorirober2536]

Why is it banned? Is it super poisonous? I live in the US, I am unfamiliar with it.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

It's considered invasive in certain parts of the UK (eg. West coast of Scotland where winters are milder) but for us in the rest of the UK, it's borderline hardy to the point we must protect them in winter. The irony is that despite being now illegal to sell or give away,boy can still have them in your garden if they are already there. They're a prized specimen in many private and public gardens around the country.

[@waynemapledoram]

Its illegal to propagate it too. That includes dividing it, watering it, moving it in yout own garden.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Interesting, do you have a source for that? Latest I can find from RHS is they were still awaiting a definition of 'cultivation' from DEFRA with regards whether current plants can be cultivated in situ. Not being allowed to water plants seems excessive! www.rhs.org.uk/plants/gunnera/gunnera-questions-answered

[@waynemapledoram]

@@greatnorthernexotic I think it was Yorkshire Kris' video. Lets assume its the same as Japanese Knotweed now? you are not allowed to divide and plant that, even in your own garden, not that you'd want to, but the same rules will apply. I may be wrong????

[@guybaxendale]

There is no requirement to dig up existing plants and dispose of them

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Yep - as I mentioned in the video, I'm keeping one and disposing of the other. 😁👍

[@nemesis8626]

Illegal huh? How utterly ridiculous

[@greatnorthernexotic]

Isn't it! These are fantastic plants which are only invasive in small pockets of western Scotland. For us gardeners, this is just a wonderful specimen plant.

[@fansaaga4033]

gve it to me pls im in ireland

[@hberror404]

😂

[@greatnorthernexotic]

They've been banned in the EU longer than over here as far as I can tell. 😄

[@fansaaga4033]

@@greatnorthernexotic i think they only banned tinctoria. There are nurseries selling mabicata but expansive as hell

[@Ceoil]

Only the gunnera tinctoria variety has been banned in ireland/EU, as far as I know. It is just the RHS in the UK that have made the correlation between the tinctoria and mannicata varieties, and said these are the same plant now, so its just the uk that have banned all gunnera.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

@@Ceoil Ah that's interesting, thanks. I wonder if other countries will eventually follow suit and recognise the hybridisation, or we'll remain an anomaly.

[@Plant_Mad_Paul]

I’d take some rhubarb of ya bro 🤣🤣

[@tropiclaud]

😂😂 nicely done

[@Plant_Mad_Paul]

@@tropiclaud 🙃

[@asbosable]

Oh grow up.

[@greatnorthernexotic]

😄👍