All species listed are invasive per the Federal Executive Order 13751, Safeguarding the Nation from the Impacts of Invasive Species (definitions are below). Species are ranked based on their invasiveness in Indiana. Species ranked high are either regulated and prohibited from trade or will be evaluated for potential inclusion as a state regulated species in the future. Species ranked caution indicates the assessment could not be completed due to lack of information on the impacts of this species in Indiana, but there is potential for invasion and negative impacts.
Definitions:
| Invasive Species | with regard to a particular ecosystem, a non-native organism whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic, or environmental harm, or harm to human, animal or plant health. |
| Non-native Species or Alien Species | with regard to a particular ecosystem, an organism, including its eggs, seeds, spores, or other biological material capable of propagating that species that occurs outside of its natural range. |
| Native Species | with regard to a particular ecosystem, a species that has evolved in a given place over a period of time sufficient to develop complex and essential relationships with the physical environment and other organisms in a given ecological community. |
Established 26-Sep-2012 - Last updated 17-Apr-2020. How was this list developed?
Download a Plant List PDF sorted by:
Rank & Common Name | Rank & Latin Name
Growth Form & Common Name | Growth Form & Latin Name
| Common Name | Latin Name | Invasive Rank | Current IN Legal Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| goatsrue | Galega officinalis | Medium | Federal noxious weed |
| giant hogweed | Heracleum mantegazzianum | Medium | Federal noxious weed |
| mosquito fern | Azolla pinnata | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| caulerpa | Caulerpa taxifolia | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| oxygen weed | Lagarosiphon major | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| monochoria | Monochoria hastata | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| heartshape | Monochoria vaginalis | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| arrowhead | Sagittaria sagittifolia | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| giant salvinia | Salvinia auriculata | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| giant salvinia | Salvinia biloba | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| giant salvinia | Salvinia herzogii | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| giant salvinia | Salvinia molesta | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| exotic bur-reed | Sparganium erectum | Federal noxious weed, prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 | |
| Norway maple | Acer platanoides | High | None |
| callery pear | Pyrus calleryana | High | None |
| narrowleaf bittercress | Cardamine impatiens | Medium | None |
| Queen Anne's Lace | Daucus carota | Medium | None |
| Russian olive | Eleagnus angustifolia | Medium | None |
| burning bush | Euonymus alatus | High | None |
| creeping charlie | Glechoma hederacea | Medium | None |
| English ivy | Hedera helix | Medium | None |
| Korean lespedeza | Kummerowia stipulacea | High | None |
| striate lespedeza | Kummerowia striata | High | None |
| white sweet clover | Melilotus alba | Medium | None |
| yellow sweet clover | Melilotus officinalis | Medium | None |
| Chinese maiden grass | Miscanthus sinensis | High | None |
| wild parsnip | Pastinaca sativa | High | None |
| bouncing bet | Saponaria officinalis | Medium | None |
| tall fescue | Schenodorus arundinacea | Medium | None |
| Siberian elm | Ulmus pumila | Medium | None |
| vetch | Vicia cracca | Medium | None |
| periwinkle | Vinca minor | Medium | None |
| St. John's wort | Hypericum perforatum | Low | None |
| porcelain berry | Ampelopsis brevipedunculata | Caution | None |
| giant reed | Arundo donax | Caution | None |
| common barberry | Berberis vulgaris | Caution | None |
| sweet autumn clematis | Clematis terniflora | High | None |
| lyme grass | Leymus arenarius | Caution | None |
| Amur privet | Ligustrum amurense | Caution | None |
| California privet | Ligustrum ovalifolium | Caution | None |
| Chinese privet | Ligustrum sinense | Caution | None |
| common privet | Ligustrum vulgare | Caution | None |
| miscanthus hybrid | Miscanthus x gigantea | Caution | None |
| princess tree | Paulownia tomentosa | Medium | None |
| sawtooth oak | Quercus acutissima | Caution | None |
| lesser celandine | Ficaria verna | High | None |
| jetbead | Rhodotypos scandens | Medium | None |
| wine raspberry | Rubus phoenicolasius | Caution | None |
| Japanese meadowsweet | Spiraea japonica | Medium | None |
| spreading hedge parsley | Torilis arvensis | High | None |
| Japanese hedge parsley | Torilis japonica | High | None |
| hybrid cattail | Typha x glauca | Caution | None |
| highbush cranberry | Viburnum opulus v. opulus | High | None |
| large-leaved periwinkle | Vinca major | Caution | None |
| wisteria | Wisteria sinensis | Medium | None |
| mimosa | Albizia julibrissin | Medium | None |
| moneywort | Lysimachia nummularia | High | None |
| beefsteak plant | Perilla frutescens | Medium | None |
| ravenna grass | Saccharum ravennae | Medium | None |
| Canada thistle | Cirsium arvense | High | Noxious weed per IC 15-3-4.6; detrimental plant per IC 15-3-4 |
| Johnson grass | Sorghum halepense | High | Noxious weed per IC 15-3-4.6; detrimental plant per IC 15-3-4 and IC 15-3-5 |
| kudzu | Pueraria montana | High | Pest species per 312 IAC 18-3-16 |
| flowering rush | Butomus umbellatus | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| Brazilian elodea | Egeria densa | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| anchored water hyacinth | Eichhornia azurea | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| hydrilla | Hydrilla verticillata | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| European frogbit | Hydrocharis morsus-ranae | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| miramar weed | Hygrophilia polysperma | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| Chinese waterspinach | Ipomoea aquatic | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| yellow iris | Iris pseudacorus | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| Asian marshweed | Limnophila sessiliflora | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| purple loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-3-13 |
| white mulberry | Morus alba | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-3-25 |
| parrotfeather | Myriophyllum aquaticum | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| Eurasian watermilfoil | Myriophyllum spicatum | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| brittle naiad | Najas minor | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| yellow floating hearts | Nymphoides peltata | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| duck lettuce | Ottelia alismoides | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| curly-leaved pondweed | Potamogeton crispus | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| water chestnut | Trapa natans | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| narrow-leaved cattail | Typha angustifolia | High | Prohibited invasive aquatic plant per 312 IAC 18-2-23 |
| Japanese chaff flower | Achyranthes japonica | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| tree of heaven | Ailanthus altissima | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| garlic mustard | Alliaria petiolata | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| black alder | Alnus glutinosa | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| mugwort | Artemisia vulgaris | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| small carpgrass | Arthraxon hispidus | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Japanese barberry | Berberis thunbergii | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| spiny plumeless thistle | Carduus acanthoides | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| musk thistle | Carduus nutans | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Asian bittersweet More Info |
Celastrus orbiculatus | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| spotted knapweed | Centaurea stoebe | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| bull thistle | Cirsium vulgare | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| poison hemlock | Conium maculatum | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| field bindweed | Convolvulus arvensis | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| crown vetch More Info |
Coronilla varia | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| black swallow-wort | Vincetoxicum nigrum | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| pale swallow-wort | Vincetoxicum rossicum | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Chinese yam | Dioscorea polystachya (oppositifolia) | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| common teasel | Dipsacus fullonum | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| cut-leaved teasel | Dipsacus laciniatus | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| autumn olive More Info |
Eleagnus umbellata | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| wintercreeper | Euonymus fortunei | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| leafy spurge | Euphorbia esula | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| glossy buckthorn More Info |
Frangula alnus | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| dame's rocket | Hesperis matronalis | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Japanese hops | Humulus japonicus | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| pepperweed | Lepidium latifolium | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| sericea lespedeza | Lespedeza cuneata | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| blunt leaved privet | Ligustrum obtusifolium | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Japanese honeysuckle More Info |
Lonicera japonica | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Amur honeysuckle More Info |
Lonicera maacki | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Morrow's honeysuckle | Lonicera morrowii | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Tatarian honeysuckle More Info |
Lonicera tatarica | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Bell's honeysuckle More Info |
Lonicera x bella | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Japanese stiltgrass | Microstegium vimineum | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| reed canarygrass More Info |
Phalaris arundinacea | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Amur cork tree | Phellodendron amurense | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| common reed More Info |
Phragmites australis | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| mile-a-minute Vine | Polygonum perfoliatum | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Japanese knotweed | Rynoutria japonica | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Giant knotweed | Reynoutria sachalinensis | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| Bohemian knotweed | Reynoutria. x Bohemica | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| common buckthorn | Rhamnus cathartica | High | Prohibited Invasive Terrestrial Plants [312 IAC 18-3-25] |
| bicolor lespedeza | Lespedeza bicolor | Medium | None |
| multiflora rose | Rosa multiflora | High | Prohibited species per IC 14-24-12 and 312 IAC 18-3-13 |
IPAC is developing an invasive plant list for Indiana using a science-based, transparent risk assessment process. Plants in trade are being assessed using the same risk assessment tool used by the Invasive Plants Species Assessment Working Group (IPSAWG). Plants not in trade are being assessed using the Indiana Non-native Plant Invasiveness Ranking Form (INPIRF).
All assessment documents are available for review; please send any comments to dawn@sicim.info.