A List of Common Exotic Invasive PlantsDonna L. Long

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth visits Butterfly Bush (invasive plant).

Invasive exotic plants are plants that are not indigenous to an area but nevertheless have established themselves and reproduced. Not being indigenous to an area, the plants have no natural predators or diseases. This freedom from predators and diseases enables the exotic plants to spread unchecked.

Exotic invasive plants run rampant and inhabit space that native plants normally would. Native indigenous plants which feed native indigenous insects and other animals are overwhelmed by the exotics. The food sources of native indigenous insects and other animals disappear.

No native indigenous plants = no native indigenous insects, butterflies or beetles.

About Native Plants

Why Native Plants?

My Love Affair with Native Plants

Invasive Species Defined

The United States Government defines an invasive species as:

“An “invasive species” is defined as a species that is 1) non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and 2) whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” Executive Order 13112, 1999 (signed by President Clinton, which established the Invasive Species Council).

“Invasive Exotic Plant Tutorial” on the Department of Natural Resources.

Invasive Plants Fact Sheets

Invasive Plant Fact Sheets have been moved on the DNR website. This link leads to a list of all the fact sheets.

Invasive Trees (6)

Norway maple	Acer platanoides	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Sycamore maple	Acer pseudoplatanus	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Tree-of-heaven	Ailanthus altissima	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Princess tree	Paulownia tomentosa	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Callery pear	Pyrus calleryana (and all cultivars)	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Siberian elm	Ulmus pumila	Fact Sheet	Management & Control

Invasive Shrubs (19)

European black alder	Alnus glutinosa	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese barberry	Berberis thunbergii	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
European barberry	Berberis vulgaris	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Russian olive	Elaeagnus angustifolia	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Autumn olive	Elaeagnus umbellata	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Winged Euonymus	Euonymus alatus	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Border privet	Ligustrum obtusifolium	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Common privet	Ligustrum vulgare	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Amur honeysuckle	Lonicera maackii	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Morrow’s honeysuckle	Lonicera morrowii	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Bell’s honeysuckle	Lonicera morrowii x tatarica	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Standish honeysuckle	Lonicera standishii	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Tartarian honeysuckle	Lonicera tatarica	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Common buckthorn	Rhamnus cathartica	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Glossy buckthorn	Rhamnus frangula	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Multiflora rose	Rosa multiflora	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Wineberry	Rubus phoenicolasius	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese spiraea	Spiraea japonica	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Guelder rose	Viburnum opulus var. opulus	Fact Sheet	Management & Control

Invasive Forbs/Grasses (25)

Goutweed	Aegopodium podagraria	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Garlic mustard	Alliaria petiolata	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Cheatgrass	Bromus tectorum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Spotted knapweed	Centaurea maculosa (syn. C. biebersteinii)	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Greater celandine	Chelidonium majus	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Canada thistle	Cirsium arvense	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Poison hemlock	Conium maculatum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Crown vetch	Coronilla varia	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Hairy willow herb	Epilobium hirsutum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Tall fescue	Festuca elatior	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
English ivy	Hedera helix	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Orange day-lily	Hemerocallis fulva	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Giant hogweed	Heracleum mantegazzianum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Dame’s rocket	Hesperis matronalis	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Purple loosestrife	Lythrum salicaria, L. virgatum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese stilt grass	Microstegium vimineum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Star-of-Bethlehem	Ornithogalum nutans, O. umbellatum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Wild parsnip	Pastinaca sativa	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Beefsteak plant	Perilla frutescens	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Reed canary grass	Phalaris arundinacea	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Common reed	Phragmites australis ssp. australis	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese knotweed	Polygonum cuspidatum, P. sachalinense	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Lesser celandine	Ranunculus ficaria	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Narrow-leaved cattail	Typha angustifolia	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Hybrid cattail	T. x glauca (T. ang. x T. latifolia)	Fact Sheet	Management & Control

Invasive Vines (7)

Fiveleaf akebia	Akebia quinata	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Porcelain-berry	Ampelopsis brevipedunculata	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Oriental bittersweet	Celastrus orbiculatus	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese honeysuckle	Lonicera japonica	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Mile-a-minute weed	Polygonum perfoliatum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Kudzu	Pueraria lobata	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Periwinkle	Vinca minor	Fact Sheet	Management & Control

Invasive Aquatics (3)

Eurasian water-milfoil	Myriophyllum spicatum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Curly pondweed	Potamogeton crispus	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Water chestnut	Trapa natans	Fact Sheet	Management & Control

Total = 60

Invasive Plant Watch List (16)

These are species that are known to be widespread problems in
other Mid-Atlantic states and have recently been reported, by experienced field
botanists and a recent DCNR Survey conducted for State Parks and State Forests,
as being established in some natural areas in PA. In addition, some of these
species are significant problems in adjacent states and appear to be ‘on the
move’ towards PA. Contact DCNR – Bureau of Forestry for assistance if you are
dealing with a species that we have not included in this list.

Butterfly bush	Buddleja davidii	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Climbing euonymus	Euonymus fortunei	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese hops	Humulus japonica	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Hydrilla	Hydrilla verticillata	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Miscanthus	Miscanthus sinensis	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese pachysandra	Pachysandra terminalis	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Corktrees	Phellodendron spp.	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Rough bluegrass	Poa trivialis L.	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Bee-bee tree	Tetradium daniellii	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Siebold viburnum	Viburnum sieboldii	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Linden viburnum	Viburnum dilatatum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Doublefile viburnum	Viburnum plicatum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Black swallow-wort	Vincetoxicum nigrum	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Japanese wisteria	Wisteria floribunda	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Chinese wisteria	Wisteria sinensis	Fact Sheet	Management & Control
Yucca	Yucca flaccida	Fact Sheet	Management & Control