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Invasive Exotic Plants In Pennsylvania List

The basis for this list was the DCNR Invasive Plants in Pennsylvania list created as a brochure in 2000. The list was expanded to include species that were identified by the DCNR Land Managers Survey on Invasive Plants that was conducted in 2004, as well as species that were recommended for inclusion by experienced field botanists and ecologists working in PA. The list includes noxious weeds that are problematic for natural areas and those that are problematic for agricultural situations only were omitted.

An important note about this list is that it has been developed strictly for educationand information purposes. It is neither intended nor approved for use as a regulatory tool. Some plants on this list are important to agriculture, horticulture, and other commercial purposes. They are included on this list because they have been identified as having established in natural areas or have been identified as Watch List species (see below).

The primary purpose of this list is to identify those plants that are invasive and cause damage to native plant communities. The intention is to foster early detection so that land managers can implement management actions to prevent exotics from becoming established. It is also intended to educate land managers and the public in an effort to eliminate the use of invasives in landscaping, restoration and enhancement projects.

Clicking the Fact Sheet or Management & Control link will open more information for each species.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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