Invasive plants are introduced species that can thrive in areas beyond their natural range of dispersal. These plants are characteristically adaptable, aggressive, and have a high reproductive capacity. Their vigor combined with a lack of natural enemies often leads to outbreak populations. Invasive aquatic plant species are included in Aquatic Species - Aquatic Plants.

• Legal Definitions - Executive Order 13112
  USDA. NAL. National Invasive Species Information Center.
• Invasive Species Definition Clarification and Guidance White Paper (PDF | 104 KB)
  Submitted by the Definitions Subcommittee of the Invasive Species Advisory Committee (ISAC)
  Approved by ISAC Apr 27, 2006
• Invasive Alien Species Concepts, Terms and Context (IAS-CTC)
  CAB International.

Use our Plants Custom Search Engine to search for invasive species information included in this section of NISIC's site:

Listed below are the plant species for which we have completed species profiles - general information about plant species commonly known as invasive. This is not a list of all invasive plant species, nor does it have any regulatory implications. These profiles are provided as an educational informational tool.

Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
Beach Vitex (Vitex rotundifolia)
Canada Thistle (Cirsium arvense)
Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera)
Common Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Dalmatian Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica)
Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa)
Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum)
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
Hairy Whitetop (Lepidium appelianum)
Houndstongue (Cynoglossum officinale)
Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense)
Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata)
Leafy Spurge (Euphorbia esula)
Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae)
Mile-A-Minute Weed (Persicaria perfoliata)
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans)
Purple Star Thistle (Centaurea calcitrapa)
Quackgrass (Elymus repens)
Russian Knapweed (Acroptilon repens)
Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.)
St. Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum)
Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthium)
Spotted Knapweed (Centaurea biebersteinii)
Tree-of-Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum)
Whitetop (Lepidium draba)
Yellow Star Thistle (Centaurea solstitialis)
Yellow Toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)