Mobile users told to check gardens for three plants using phone camera trick – failing to identify could result in FINES

THREE species of plants that may be hiding in your garden are putting you at risk of a hefty fine or even a criminal record.

These regulated shrubs are invasive, and can be a serious ecological threat.

Homeowners found to be harbouring these plants could be on the receiving end of removal orders, and fines of up to £5,000.

Anyone with a modern smartphone can identify these unruly flora with a clever camera trick.

On iPhones, simply follow these steps:

1. Make sure your iPhone is running iOS 15 or later.
2. Open the Camera app and point it at the plant.
   1. Alternatively, you can use an existing photo in your Photos app.
3. A small white info icon (i) might appear over the plant in the viewfinder. Tap on it if it does.
4. If the above method doesn't work, open the photo in your Photos app.
5. Tap and hold on to the part of the photo containing the plant.
6. If your iPhone recognises the plant, a pop-up with information including its name will appear.

With Google Lens, which is available on Android and Apple devices, follow these steps:

1. First, snap a photo of the plant.
2. Open the image through Google Photos.
3. Tap the lens icon at the bottom.
4. That will launch a web search & show all the relevant results.
5. To improve the accuracy of the results further, adjust the four corners of the focus area.

PLANTS TO LOOK OUT FOR

New Zealand Pygmyweed (Crassula helmsii)

Pond weed, known as New Zealand Pygmyweed or Australian swamp stonecrop, can colonise water bodies quickly.

The aquatic species is abundant throughout most of England, particularly the south.

Although it has also been spotted in Cumbria, parts of Wales, the Isle of Man, Scotland and eastern Ireland.

They form densely and can cause flooding.

It's illegal to plant or help New Zealand Pygmyweed grow in the wild, and gardeners found doing so can be slapped with fines of up to £5,000 and even prison time.

Rhododendron ponticum

The Rhododendron ponticum, a specific type of rhododendron, is also considered an invasive species.

It is an offense to plant it, or allow it to grow in the wild under the Wildlife and CountrysideAct.

This towering shrub produces big colourful flowers, but its woody stems spread wide and eventually form tree-like trunks.

There is a concentration of these plants in southeast England, most notably in Hampshire, Surrey and Sussex.

Although they sprout up and down the country, from the western tip of Cornwall to Inverness in the north of Scotland.

American Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)

The water-loving American Skunk Cabbage and its ‘skunky' odour can be found clinging to ponds and watercourses.

The species is understood to be cropping up across the UK, except for the English Midlands and drier parts of Eastern England.

This US import has large, leathery leaves and bright yellow flowers in spring which emit a funky smell when they bloom.

American Skunk Cabbage cannot be bought, sold or planted in the UK, and letting it spread could be an offence.