Invasive Exotic Species List
We hope this list will help eliminate the use of invasive exotic plants in landscaping and restoration projects.
The intent of this list is to:
- Rank exotic plants based on their demonstrated invasive characteristics
- Educate the public and resource managers
- Encourage early detection of invasive exotic species so that a rapid response can be implemented when needed
Rank 1 - Severe Threat
Exotic plant species that have invasive characteristics and spread readily into native plant communities, displacing native vegetation.
| Scientific name | Common name |
|---|---|
| Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle | Tree of Heaven |
| Albizia julibrissin Durz. | Mimosa |
| Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara & Grande | Garlic-mustard |
| Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb. | Alligatorweed |
| Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb. | Asian bittersweet |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia L. | Russian olive |
| Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. | Autumn olive |
| Hedera helix L. | English ivy |
| Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle | Hydrilla |
| Lespedeza bicolor | Bicolor lespedeza |
| Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.-Cours.) G. Don | Sericea lespedeza |
| Ligustrum sinense Lour. | Chinese privet |
| Lonicera fragrantissima Lindl. & Paxton | Fragrant honeysuckle |
| Lonicera japonica Thunb. | Japanese honeysuckle |
| Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus | Japanese stilt-grass |
| Murdannia keisak (Hassk.) Hand.-Mazz. | Asian spiderwort |
| Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc. | Parrotfeather |
| Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Sieb.&Zucc. ex Steud. | Princess tree |
| Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ssp. australis | Common reed |
| Polygonum cuspidatum Seib. & Zucc. | Japanese knotweed |
| Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr. | Kudzu |
| Rosa multiflora Thunb. | Multiflora rose |
| Salvinia molesta Mitchell | Aquarium water-moss |
| Vitex rotundifolia L.f. | Beach vitex |
| Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC | Chinese wisteria |
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Rank 2 - Significant Threat
Exotic plant species that display some invasive characteristics, but do not appear to present as great a threat native communities in NC as the species listed in Rank 1.
| Scientific name | Common name |
|---|---|
| Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv. | Porcelain-berry |
| Arthraxon hispidus (Thunb.) Makino | Hairy jointgrass |
| Bambusa spp. | Exotic bamboo |
| Berberis thunbergii DC | Japanese barberry |
| Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L’Her. ex Vent. | Paper mulberry |
| Cayratia japonica (Thunb. ex Murray) Gagnep. | Bushkiller |
| Centaurea biebersteinii DC | Spotted knapweed |
| Clematis terniflora DC (=C. dioscoreifolia) | Leatherleaf clematis |
| Conium maculatum L. | Poison hemlock |
| Coronilla varia L. | Crown vetch |
| Dioscorea oppositifolia L. | Air-potato |
| Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms | Water-hyacinth |
| Euonymus alata (Thunb.) Sieb. | Burning bush |
| Euonymus fortunei (Turcz.) Hand. - Mazz | Winter creeper |
| Glechoma hederacea L. | Gill-over-the-ground, ground ivy |
| Humulus japonicus | Japanese Hops |
| Lamium purpureum L. | Henbit |
| Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. | Bicolor lespedeza, shrubby bushclover |
| Ligustrum japonicum Thunb. | Japanese privet |
| Ligustrum vulgare L. | Common privet |
| Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Maxim. | Amur bush honeysuckle |
| Lonicera morrowii A. Gray | Morrow’s bush honeysuckle |
| Lonicera standishii Jaques | Standish's Honeysuckle |
| Lonicera ×bella [morrowii × tatarica] | Hybrid Bush Honeysuckle |
| Ludwigia uruguayensis (Camb.) Hara | Creeping waterprimrose |
| Lygodium japonicum (Thunb. ex Murr.) Sw. | Japanese climbing fern |
| Lythrum salicaria L. | Purple loosestrife |
| Mahonia beali (Fortune) Carriere | Oregon grape |
| Miscanthus sinensis Andersson | Chinese silver grass |
| Morus alba L. | White mulberry |
| Myriophyllum spicatum Komarov | Eurasian watermilfoil |
| Nandina domestica Thunb. | Nandina |
| Persicaria longiseta (de Bruijn) Moldenke (=Polygonum caespitosum Blume) | Oriental ladies-thumb |
| Persicaria maculata (Rafinesque) S.F. Gray (=Polygonum persicaria L.) | Lady’s thumb |
| Phyllostachys spp. | Exotic bamboo |
| Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf. | Hardy-Orange |
| Pseudosasa japonica (Sieb. & Zucc. ex Steud.) Makino ex Nakai | Arrow bamboo |
| Pyrus calleryana Decne. | Bradford pear |
| Rhodotypos scandens (Thunb.) | Makino jetbead |
| Rubus phoenicolasius Maxim. | Wineberry |
| Solanum viarum Dunal | Tropical soda apple |
| Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers. | Johnson grass |
| Spiraea japonica L.f. | Japanese spiraea |
| Stellaria media (L.) Vill. | Common chickweed |
| Veronica hederifolia L. | Ivyleaf speedwell |
| Vinca major L. | Bigleaf periwinkle |
| Vinca minor L. | Common periwinkle |
| Wisteria floribunda (Willd.) DC | Japanese wisteria |
| Xanthium strumarium L. | Common cocklebur |
| Youngia japonica (L.) DC. | Oriental false hawksbeard |
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Rank 3 - Lesser Threat
Exotic plant species that spread into or around disturbed areas, and are presently considered a low threat to native plant communities in NC.
| Scientific name | Common name |
|---|---|
| Ajuga reptans L. | Bugleweed |
| Allium vineale L. | Field garlic |
| Artemisia vulgaris L. | Mugwort, common wormwood |
| Arundo donax L. | Giant reed |
| Baccharis halimifolia L. (*) | Silverling, groundsel tree |
| Bromus catharticus Vahl | Bromegrass, rescue grass |
| Bromus commutatus Schrad. | Meadow brome |
| Bromus japonicus Thunb. ex Murray | Japanese bromegrass |
| Bromus secalinus L. | Rye brome |
| Bromus tectorum L. | Thatch bromegrass, cheat grass |
| Buddleia davidii Franch | Butterfly bush |
| Chicorium intybus L. | Chicory |
| Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L. | Ox-eye daisy |
| Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten. | Bull thistle |
| Daucus carota L. | Wild carrot, Queen Anne’s-lace |
| Dipsacus fullonum L. | Fuller’s teasle |
| Egeria densa Planch. | Brazilian elodea, Brazilian water-weed |
| Fatoua villosa (Thunb.) Nakai | Hairy crabweed |
| Festuca pratensis Huds. | Meadow fescue |
| Ipomoea quamoclit L. | Cypressvine morningglory |
| Kummerowia stipulacea (Maxim.) | Makino Korean clover |
| Kummerowia striata (Thunb.) Schindl | Japanese clover |
| Lysimachia nummularia L. | Moneywort, creeping Jenny |
| Melilotus albus Medik. | White sweet clover |
| Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. | Yellow sweet clover |
| Najas minor All. | Brittle naiad |
| Pastinaca sativa L. | Wild parsnip |
| Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. | Beefsteakplant |
| Populus alba L. | White poplar |
| Senecio vulgaris L. | Ragwort |
| Setaria faberi R.A.W. Herrm. | Nodding foxtail-grass |
| Triadica sebifera (L.) Small | Chinese tallowtree |
| Tussilago farfara L. | Coltsfoot |
| Vicia sativa L. | Garden vetch |
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Watch List A
Exotic plants that naturalize and may become a problem in the future; includes species that are or could become widespread in North Carolina. At this time, more information is needed.
| Scientific name | Common name |
|---|---|
| Arum italicum P. Mill. | Italian lords and ladies |
| Buglossoides arvensis (L.) I.M. Johnston (L.) I.M. | Corn gromwell |
| Bupleurum rotundifolium L. | Hound's-ear, hare's ear |
| Centaurea cyanus L. | cornflower |
| Echium vulgare L. | Viper’s bugloss |
| Elaeagnus pungens Thunb | Thorny olive |
| Hibiscus syriacus L. | Rose of Sharon |
| Hypericum perforatum L. | St. John’s-wort |
| Ornithogalum umbellatum L. | Star of Bethlehem |
| Solanum dulcamara L. | Climbing nightshade |
| Verbascum thapsus L. | Common mullein |
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Watch List B
Exotic plant species that cause problems in adjacent states but have not yet been reported to cause problems in NC.
| Scientific name | Common name |
|---|---|
| Acer platanoides L. | Norway maple |
| Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Dcne. | Fiveleaf akebia |
| Bromus inermis Leyss. | Smooth bromegrass |
| Cardiospermum halicacabum L. | Balloonvine |
| Carduus nutans L. | Musk thistle |
| Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. | Canada thistle |
| Commelina benghalensis L. | Bengal dayflower |
| Elaeagnus pungens Thunb. | Thorny-olive |
| Hesperis matronalis L. | Dame's rocket |
| Imperata cylindrica | Cogon grass |
| Iris pseudoacorus L. | Pale-yellow iris |
| Lonicera tatarica L. | Tartarian honeysuckle |
| Melia azedarach L. | Chinaberry |
| Persicaria perfoliata (Linnaeus) H. Gross (=Polygonum perfoliatum L.) | Mile-a-minute vine |
| Pistia stratiotes L. | Watter-lettuce |
| Potamogeton crispus L. | Curly pondweed |
| Quercus acutissima Carruthers | Sawtooth oak |
| Rhamnus cathartica L. | European buckthorn |
| Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. | Foxtail-millet |
| Setaria verticillata (L.) Beauv. | Bur-foxtail |
| Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv. | Green millet |
| Stachys floridana Shuttlw. ex Benth. | Florida Hedge nettle |
| Torilis arvensis (Huds.) Link | Spreading hedge-parsley |
| Tragopogon dubius Scop. | Yellow goat's-beard |
| Trapa natans L. | Water Chestnut |
| Tribulus terrestris L. | Puncturevine |
| Xanthium spinosum L. | Spiny cocklebur |
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Credits
Compiled by Misty Franklin,
with review and input from biologists in the following agencies:
NC Natural Heritage Program,
NC DENR Aquatic Weed Control Program,
NC Exotic Pest Plant Council,
US Fish &Wildlife Service,
The Nature Conservancy,
NC Zoo,
NC Botanical Garden,
and UNC Herbarium.
2006 marked the first edition of the NC Native Plant Society Invasive Exotic Plant list. The 2004 Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council Invasive Exotic Plant list was used as a model for organization of this list, but species listed and ranks assigned here are applicable to North Carolina. The NC Native Plant Society Invasive Exotic Plant List is considered a work in progress, and will be evaluated and updated as new information is gathered about these and other species.
Please send your comments to:
North Carolina Native Plant Society
C/O North Carolina Botanical Garden
Totten Center 3375,
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3375
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