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Paper short abstract

This paper explores shifting media narratives of Japanese knotweed in Sweden, from admired ornamental to invasive “monster plant”. By analyzing press coverage since 1890s, it shows how cultural narratives mobilize fear, legitimize management, and reflect societal anxieties about nature and control.

Paper long abstract

This paper explores the cultural production of biological threats and the processes through which nature is dealt with to gain insights into society's fraught attempts to control an ever-changing world. Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica) has emerged as a pressing issue in gardens, urban spaces, and infrastructure projects across Europe. Often depicted as an invasive species capable of violently taking over and damaging landscapes, this plant has sparked widespread concern and managing efforts. The stories surrounding so-called invasive species are part of the broader efforts to curate and control nature, which involves managing the desirable but also the undesirable and encompasses the symbolic and the practical.

Focusing on the Swedish context, this study examines the media narratives in Swedish daily press from the late 19th century up to today to explore shifting perceptions and responses to Japanese knotweed in Sweden over time. Initially introduced as an admired ornamental, Japanese knotweed was widely embraced for its aesthetics and landscape creating utility. Over time, however, it was recast as an aggressive and unwanted presence in gardens and beyond – first as a weed, and more recently as a “monster plant” and part of the ominous “invasive alien species” problem formulation. These narrative shifts reflect broader changes in environmental thinking, ecological governance, and public anxieties. The analysis focuses in particular on the “monster” metaphor and narrative, exploring how it mobilizes fear, legitimizes specific management practices, and embodies deeper societal concerns about nature, control, property, and the threat of the ‘other’.