Plants to Avoid in the Southeastern United States
Compiled by Allison Schwarz and Johnny Randall, Spring 1999
The following is a compilation from invasive exotic plant lists of regional and state agencies in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Physiographic region distinctions for the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain are not made. The list is based on expert observational data and not on extensive biological research. It is, however, the most accurate approximation of the invasive exotic plant species in the southeastern United States. It is intentionally extensive in order to give the public a reasonable degree of confidence that any landscape plant not listed has a low potential for invasiveness.
This compilation will change as new information is gathered, and we will be adding links to images of each species. You may also want to consult the North Carolina Native Plant Society's Invasive Exotic Species List.
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Family |
| Acer platanoides | Norway maple | Aceraceae |
| Ailanthus altissima | tree of heaven | Simaroubaceae |
| Ajuga reptans | bugleweed; common bugle | Lamiaceae |
| Akebia quinata | chocolate vine; fiveleaf akebia | Lardizabalaceae |
| Albizia julibrissin | mimosa; Silk tree | Fabaceae |
| Alliaria officinalis | See Alliaria petiolata | |
| Alliaria petiolata | garlic mustard | Brassicaceae |
| Allium vinale | wild garlic; field garlic; crow garlic | Liliaceae |
| Alternanthera philoxeroides | alligatorweed | Amaranthaceae |
| Ampelopsis brevipedunculata | Amur peppervine; porcelain-berry | Vitaceae |
| Ampelopsis heterophylla | See Ampelopsis brevipedunculata | |
| Arrhenatherum elatius | tall oatgrass | Poaceae |
| Artemisia vulgaris | common wormwood; mugwort | Asteraceae |
| Arundo donax | giant reed; elephant grass | Poaceae |
| Berberis thunbergii | Japanese barberry | Berberidaceae |
| Broussonetia papyrifera | paper mulberry | Moraceae |
| Cardiospermum halicacabum | balloon vine; love-in-a-puff | Sapindaceae |
| Carduus vulgaris | See Cirsium vulgare | |
| Carex kobomugi | sedge; Japanese or Asiatic sand sedge | Cyperaceae |
| Cassia obtusifolia | See Senna obtusifolia | |
| Celastrus orbiculatus | Oriental bittersweet | Celastraceae |
| Chrysanthemum leucanthemum | See Leucanthemum vulgare | |
| Clematis paniculatus | See Clematis terniflora | |
| Clematis terniflora | leatherleaf clematis; sweet autumn virgin's bower | Ranunculaceae |
| Commelina communis | common dayflower | Commelinaceae |
| Dioscorea batatas | See Dioscorea oppositifolia | |
| Dioscorea oppositifolia | Chinese yam; cinnamon vine | Dioscoreaceae |
| Dipsacus fullonum | Fuller's teasel | Dipsacaceae |
| Dipsacus fullonum ssp. sylvestris | common teasel; wild teasel | Dipsacaceae |
| Dipsacus laciniatus | Cutleaf Teasel | Dipsacaceae |
| Dipsacus sylvestris | See Dipsacus fullonum ssp. sylvestris | |
| Egeria densa | Brazilian waterweed; elodea | Hydrocharitaceae |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia | russian olive | Oleaceae |
| Elaeagnus pungens | thorny olive | Oleaceae |
| Elaeagnus umbellata | autumn olive | Oleaceae |
| Eleutherococcus pentaphyllus | Ginseng shrub; fiveleaf aralia | Araliaceae |
| Elodea densa | See Egeria densa | |
| Eragrostis curvula | weeping lovegrass | Poaceae |
| Euonymus alata | winged spindletree; burning bush | Celastraceae |
| Euonymus fortunei | wintercreeper; climbing euonymus | Celastraceae |
| Euphorbia esula | leafy spurge; wolf's milk | Euphorbiaceae |
| Foeniculum vulgare | sweet fennel | Apiaceae |
| Glechoma hederacea | groundivy | Lamiaceae |
| Hedera helix | English ivy | Araliaceae |
| Hesperis matronalis | dame's rocket | Brassicaceae |
| Humulus japonicus | Japanese hops | Cannabaceae |
| Hydrilla verticillata | waterthyme | Hydrocharitaceae |
| Imperata arundinaceae | See Imperata cylindrica | |
| Imperata cylindrica | cogongrass | Poaceae |
| Ipomoea coccinea | red or red star morning glory | Convolvulaceae |
| Ipomoea hederacea | ivy leaf morning glory | Convolvulaceae |
| Ipomoea purpurea | common or tall morning glory | Convolvulaceae |
| Iris pseudacorus | yellow flag; pale yellow iris | Iridaceae |
| Lapsana communis | common nipplewort | Asteraceae |
| Lespedeza bicolor | bi-color lespedeza | Fabaceae |
| Lespedeza cuneata | Chinese or Sericea lespedeza | Fabaceae |
| Lespedeza sericea | See Lespedeza cuneata | |
| Ligustrum obtusifolium | border or blunt-leaved pivet | Oleaceae |
| Ligustrum sinense | Chinese pivet | Oleaceae |
| Ligustrum villosum | See Ligustrum sinense | |
| Ligustrum vulgare | European or common privet | Oleaceae |
| Lonicera x bella | whitebell; Bell's honeysuckle | Caprifoliaceae |
| Lonicera fragrantissima | January jasmine or sweet-breath-of-spring | Caprifoliaceae |
| Lonicera japonica | Japanese honeysuckle | Caprifoliaceae |
| Lonicera maackii | Amur honeysuckle | Caprifoliaceae |
| Lonicera morrowii | Morrow's honeysuckle | Caprifoliaceae |
| Lonicera standishii | Standish's honeysuckle | Caprifoliaceae |
| Lonicera tatarica | Tartarian honeysuckle | Caprifoliaceae |
| Lotus corniculatus | bird's foot deervetch; bird's foot trefoil | Fabaceae |
| Ludwigia uruguayensis | primrose willow; hairy water primrose | Onagraceae |
| Lysimachia nummularia | moneywort; creeping jenny | Primulaceae |
| Lythrum salicaria | purple loosestrife | Lythraceae |
| Lythrum virgatum | European wand loosestrife | Lythraceae |
| Mahonia bealei | Oregon grape | Berberidaceae |
| Melia azedarach | Chinaberry | Meliaceae |
| Melilotus alba | white sweet clover | Fabaceae |
| Microstegium vimineum | Nepal grass, Japanese grass | Poaceae |
| Miscanthus sinensis | Chinese silvergrass | Poaceae |
| Morus alba | white or common mulberry | Moraceae |
| Morus papyrifera | See Broussonetia papyrifera | |
| Mosla dianthera | miniature beefsteak | Lamiaceae |
| Murdannia keisak | Asian spiderwort; aneilima | Commelinaceae |
| Myriophyllum aquaticum | watermilfoil; parrotfeather | Haloragaceae |
| Myriophyllum spicatum | European or spike watermilfoil | Haloragaceae |
| Nasturtium officinale | See Rorippa nasturtium-officinale | |
| Pastinaca sativa | wild parsnip | Apiaceae |
| Paulownia tomentosa | Empress or princess tree | Scrophulariaceae |
| Perilla frutescens | beefsteak plant | Lamiaceae |
| Phalaris arundinacea | reed canarygrass | Poaceae |
| Phragmites australis | common reed | Poaceae |
| Phyllostachys aurea | golden bamboo | Poaceae |
| Polygonum cespitosum | bunchy knotweed; Oriental ladysthumb | Polygonaceae |
| Polygonum cuspidatum | Japanese knotweed | Polygonaceae |
| Polygonum perfoliatum | mile-a-minute | Polygonaceae |
| Polygonum sachalinense | giant knotweed | Polygonaceae |
| Populus balsamifera ssp. balsamifera | balsam poplar; balm of Gilead | Salicaceae |
| Potamogeton crispus | curly pondweed | Potamogetonaceae |
| Pseudosasa japonica | arrow bamboo | Poaceae |
| Pueraria montana | See Pueraria lobata | |
| Pueraria lobata | kudzu | Fabaceae |
| Quercus acutissima | sawtooth oak | Fagaceae |
| Ranunculus ficaria | lesser celandine; lesser or fig buttercup | Ranunculaceae |
| Raphanus raphanistrum | wild radish; jointed charlock | Brassicaceae |
| Rhamnus alnus | glossy buckthorn | Rhamnaceae |
| Rhamnus cathartica | common buckthorn | Rhamnaceae |
| Rhamnus frangula | See Rhamnus alnus | |
| Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum | watercress | Brassicaceae |
| Rosa multiflora | multiflora rose | Rosaceae |
| Rubus phoenicolasius | wineberry; wine raspberry | Rosaceae |
| Rumex acetosella | red sorrel; common sheep sorrel | Polygonaceae |
| Senna obtusifolia | coffeeweed; sicklepod | Fabaceae |
| Setaria faberi | Japanese bristlegrass; giant foxtail | Poaceae |
| Setaria pumila | bristlegrass; yellow or smooth millet | Poaceae |
| Setaria viridis | green bristlegrass; green millet | Poaceae |
| Solanum viarum | tropical soda apple; tropical nightshade | Solanaceae |
| Sorghum halepense | Johnsongrass | Poaceae |
| Spiraea japonica | Japanese meadowsweet | Rosaceae |
| Stellaria media | common chickweed | Caryophyllaceae |
| Torilis arvensis | hedge parsley | Apiaceae |
| Trapa natans | water chestnut | Trapaceae |
| Tribulus terrestris | puncture vine | Zygophyllaceae |
| Tussilago farfara | colt's foot | Asteraceae |
| Verbascum thapsus | common mullein | Scrophulariaceae |
| Veronica hederaefolia | ivy leaf speedwell | Scrophulariaceae |
| Viburnum dilatatum | Linden arrowwood | Caprifoliaceae |
| Vinca major | bigleaf periwinkle | Apocynaceae |
| Vinca minor | common periwinkle | Apocynaceae |
| Wisteria floribunda | Japanese wisteria | Fabaceae |
| Wisteria sinensis | Chinese wisteria | Fabaceae |
Last updated by Laura Cotterman on September 05, 2008 at 01:04:21 pm.
