Invasive Plants

Invasive Plant Species Occurring in Massachusetts 

The following is a list of non-native plants recorded in Massachusetts which possess strongly invasive characteristics. Those which are currently presenting the greatest threat to native plant communities are in bold type. Remember, however, that some species which are not in bold type may eventually become major problems, and that others may not become widespread problems.

Common Name Scientific Name   

Amur Honeysuckle

Autumn olive

Barnyard grass

Black locust

Black swallow-wort

Bittersheet nightshade

Bushy Rock-cress

Canada bluegrass

Chervil

Coltsfoot

Common barberry

Common buckthorn

Common/hedge privet

Common mullein

Creeping buttercup

Curly pondweed

Cypress spurge

Dame’s rocket

Eurasian water-milfoil

Fanwort

Garlic mustard

Giant waterweed

Glossy buckthorn

Goutweed or

   Bishop’s weed

Hair fescue

Hairy willow-herb

Japanese barberry

Japanese honeysuckle

Japanese hops

Japanese knotweed

Japanese privet

Japanese rose

Kiwi vine

Kudzu

Lesser naiad

Live-forever or Orpine

Moneywort

Lonicera maackii

Elaeagnus umbellata

Echinochloa crusgalli

Robinia pseudoacacia

Cynanchum louiseae

Solanum dulcamara

Cardamine impatiens

Poa compressa

Anthriscus sylvestris

Tussilago farfara

Berberis vulgaris

Rhamnus cathartica

Ligustrum vulgare

Verbarcum thapsus

Ranunculus repens

Potamogeton cripus

Euphorbia cyparissias

Hesperis matronalis

Myriophyllum spicatum

Camomba caroliniana

Alliaria petiolata

Egeria densa

Rhamnus frangula

 

Aegopodium podagraria

Festuca filiformis

Epilobium hirsutum

Berberis thunbergii

Lonicera japonica

Humullus japonicus

Polygonum cuspidatum

Ligustrum obtusifolium

Rosa rugosa

Actinidia arguta

Pueraria montana

Najas minor

Sedum telephium

Lysimachia nummularia

Morrow’s honeysuckle

honeysuckle (hybrid)

Multiflora rose

Norway maple

Oriental bittersweet

Phragmites,reed grass

Porcelian barry

Purple loosestrife

Reed canary-grass

Russian olive

Sea- or horned poppy

Sheep fescue

Sheep-sorrel

Silver lace-vine

Silver poplar

Spotted knapweed

Sweet reedgrass

Sycamore maple

Tatarian honeysuckle

Tree-of-haven

True forget-me-not

Water-chestnut

Watercress

Western catalpa

White mulberry

Wild thyme

Winged euonymus

Variable water-milfoil

Yellow floating heart

Yellow iris

Lonicera morrowii Morrow’s X

Lonicera xbella

Rosa multiflora

Acer platanoides

Celastrus orbiculata

Phragmites australis

Ampelopsis brevipedunculata

Lythrum salicaria

Phalaris arundinacea

Elaegnus angustifolia

Glaucium flavum

Festuca ovina

Rumex acetosella

Polygonum aubertii

Populus alba

Centaurea biebersteinii

Glyceria maxima

Acer pseudoplatanus

Lonicera tatarica

Ailanthus altissima

Myostis scorpioides

Trapa natans

Rorippa nasturtium- Aquaticum

Catalpa speciosa

Morus alba

Thymus pulegioides

Euonymus alata

Myriophyllum heterophyllum

Nymphoides peltata

Iris pseudacorus

 Source: A Guide to Invasive Plants in Massachusetts by Pamela B. Weatherbee, Paul Somers and Tim Simmons.