Help - is this Japanese knotweed?!

[Avii86]

Just moved my shed and found this behind. It doesn't quite look like the pictures of knotweed I can find online, but I really don't know what else it could be. Help appreciated - do I need to call an eradication service pronto?

Looks like a sycamore seedling. Either dig it out or cut it off as far down as you can (then keep an eye out for regrowth for a couple of seasons).

It really doesn't look like it to me. But I obviously can't say for sure from that pic.

In short, no. I don't think so!

To me that looks like an ash tree but someone more knowledgeable will be able to offer more certainty.

It actually looks quite sweet whatever it is!

Do any trees overhang there? You'll know better which tree it is once the buds open, but whichever it is it'll still need taking out. Easy at this stage with secateurs or even scissors at a push.

Thanks all. I posted here immediately and spent the interim googling like mad. There are lots of signs of Japanese knotweed that this plant doesn't have - phew. I've just moved here and know nowt about gardens or gardening, but trying to learn!

No trees overhang, no. If it were further away from the house I might wait and see what appears. It's very close though, so I should probably get the secateurs ready!

Can you post a close up of where it leaves the ground?

It's an ash.

Sure - here it is

Agree with pp, looks like an ash tree sapling.

I've just looked up ash saplings online and it's identical. Thanks again everyone!

Definitely not knotweed.
Agree with the ash sapling.

Looks like a rowan or mountain ash tree to me, they grow like weeds and spread like wildfire. They are really difficult to pull out when they get bigger so pull it out if you can or if not cut it off as low as you can and put a brick (of similar) over the stump to try and kill it off (unless you want a tree in that spot of course)

Woodland trust says it's an Ash sapling:
woodland trust

The sapling is gone!

What happened?

Oh - sorry to be so dramatic. I dug it out, happy in the knowledge it isn't knotweed.