Invasive, Non-Native Exotic Species List

Why Identify Invasive, Non-Native Species?

Many introduced plants have become naturalized in North Carolina. Some of these have become invasive, replacing our native plant species. Our native fauna, including insects, birds, mammals, reptiles, fish and other animals, are dependent on native plants for food and shelter. Native plant loss due to the spread of invasive non-native plants poses a serious disruption to natural ecosystems in North Carolina and around the world.

It is so important to educate the public, nurseries, and resource managers to recognize invasive, non-native plant species and to understand their detrimental impact on our environment. With education and awareness of these invasive, non-native plant species, we hope to encourage early detection so that a rapid response can be implemented to control them, manage existing infestations, prevent accidental introductions, help to discontinue their use in landscaping and restoration projects, and minimize disturbance to forests, wetlands, and other natural communities. We must learn to work with (rather than against) natural systems and cycles.

Invasive, Non-Native Plant Species Lists

Rank 1 - Severe Threat

Exotic plant species that have invasive characteristics and spread readily into native plant communities, displacing native vegetation.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle	Tree of Heaven
Albizia julibrissin Durz.	Mimosa
Alliaria petiolata (Bieb.) Cavara & Grande	Garlic-mustard
Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb.	Alligatorweed
Celastrus orbiculatus Thunb.	Asian bittersweet
Elaeagnus angustifolia L.	Russian olive
Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb.	Autumn olive
Hedera helix L.	English ivy
Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle	Hydrilla
Lespedeza bicolor	Bicolor lespedeza
Lespedeza cuneata (Dum.-Cours.) G. Don	Sericea lespedeza
Ligustrum sinense Lour.	Chinese privet
Lonicera fragrantissima Lindl. & Paxton	Fragrant honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica Thunb.	Japanese honeysuckle
Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus	Japanese stilt-grass
Murdannia keisak (Hassk.) Hand.-Mazz.	Asian spiderwort
Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc.	Parrotfeather
Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Sieb.&Zucc. ex Steud.	Princess tree
Persicaria perfoliata (Linnaeus) H. Gross (=Polygonum perfoliatum L.)	Mile-a-minute vine
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ssp. australis	Common reed
Pyrus calleryana Decne.	Bradford pear
Polygonum cuspidatum Seib. & Zucc.	Japanese knotweed
Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr.	Kudzu
Rosa multiflora Thunb.	Multiflora rose
Salvinia molesta Mitchell	Aquarium water-moss
Vitex rotundifolia L.f.	Beach vitex
Wisteria sinensis (Sims) DC	Chinese wisteria

Rank 2 - Significant Threat

Exotic plant species that display some invasive characteristics, but do not appear to present as great a threat to native communities in NC as the species listed in Rank 1.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (Maxim.) Trautv.	Porcelain-berry
Arthraxon hispidus (Thunb.) Makino	Hairy jointgrass
Berberis thunbergii DC	Japanese barberry
Broussonetia papyrifera (L.) L’Her. ex Vent.	Paper mulberry
Cardiospermum halicacabum L.	Balloon-vine
Cayratia japonica (Thunb. ex Murray) Gagnep.	Bushkiller
Centaurea biebersteinii DC	Spotted knapweed
Clematis terniflora DC (=C. dioscoreifolia)	Leatherleaf clematis
Conium maculatum L.	Poison hemlock
Coronilla varia L.	Crown vetch
Dioscorea polystachya L.	Air-potato
Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms	Water-hyacinth
Euonymus alata (Thunb.) Sieb.	Burning bush
Euonymus fortunei (Turcz.) Hand. – Mazz	Winter creeper
Ficaria verna ssp. ficariiformis (F.W. Schultz) B. Walln. (=Ranunculus ficaria)	Lesser Celandine
Glechoma hederacea L.	Gill-over-the-ground, ground ivy
Humulus japonicus	Japanese Hops
Lamium purpureum L.	Henbit
Lespedeza bicolor Turcz.	Bicolor lespedeza, shrubby bushclover
Ligustrum japonicum Thunb.	Japanese privet
Ligustrum vulgare L.	Common privet
Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Maxim.	Amur bush honeysuckle
Amur bush honeysuckle	Morrow’s bush honeysuckle
Lonicera standishii Jaques	Standish’s Honeysuckle
Lonicera ×bella [morrowii × tatarica]	Hybrid Bush Honeysuckle
Ludwigia uruguayensis (Camb.) Hara	Creeping waterprimrose
Lygodium japonicum (Thunb. ex Murr.) Sw.	Japanese climbing fern
Lythrum salicaria L.	Purple loosestrife
Mahonia bealei (Fortune) Carriere	Leatherleaf Mahonia
Miscanthus sinensis Andersson	Chinese silver grass
Morus alba L.	White mulberry
Myriophyllum spicatum Komarov	Eurasian watermilfoil
Nandina domestica Thunb.	Nandina
Persicaria longiseta (de Bruijn) Moldenke (=Polygonum caespitosum Blume)	Oriental ladies-thumb
Persicaria maculata (Rafinesque) S.F. Gray (=Polygonum persicaria L.)	Lady’s thumb
Phyllostachys spp.	Exotic bamboo
Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.	Hardy-Orange
Pseudosasa japonica (Sieb. & Zucc. ex Steud.) Makino ex Nakai	Arrow bamboo
Rhodotypos scandens (Thunb.)	Makino jetbead
Rubus phoenicolasius Maxim.	Wineberry
Solanum viarum Dunal	Tropical soda apple
Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.	Johnson grass
Spiraea japonica L.f.	Japanese spiraea
Stellaria media (L.) Vill.	Common chickweed
Veronica hederifolia L.	Ivyleaf speedwell
Vinca major L.	Bigleaf periwinkle
Vinca minor L.	Common periwinkle
Wisteria floribunda (Willd.) DC	Japanese wisteria
Xanthium strumarium L.	Common cocklebur
Youngia japonica (L.) DC.	Oriental false hawksbeard

Rank 3 - Lesser Threat

Exotic plant species that spread into or around disturbed areas and are presently considered a low threat to native plant communities in NC.

*Baccharis halimifolia is native to marshes and marsh borders on the outer Coastal Plain but has spread along road corridors to invade disturbed areas in the Piedmont, which is not considered its native habitat.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Ajuga reptans L.	Bugleweed
Allium vineale L.	Field garlic
Artemisia vulgaris L.	Mugwort, common wormwood
Arundo donax L.	Giant reed
Baccharis halimifolia L. (*)	Silverling, groundsel tree
Bromus catharticus Vahl	Bromegrass, rescue grass
Bromus commutatus Schrad.	Meadow brome
Bromus japonicus Thunb. ex Murray	Japanese bromegrass
Bromus secalinus L.	Rye brome
Bromus tectorum L.	Thatch bromegrass, cheat grass
Buddleia davidii Franch	Butterfly bush
Cichorium intybus L.	Chicory
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum L.	Ox-eye daisy
Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Ten.	Bull thistle
Daucus carota L.	Wild carrot, Queen Anne’s-lace
Dipsacus fullonum L.	Fuller’s teasle
Egeria densa Planch.	Brazilian elodea, Brazilian water-weed
Fatoua villosa (Thunb.) Nakai	Hairy crabweed
Festuca pratensis Huds.	Meadow fescue
Ipomoea quamoclit L.	Cypressvine morningglory
Kummerowia stipulacea (Maxim.)	Makino Korean clover
Kummerowia striata (Thunb.) Schindl	Japanese clover
Lamiastrum galeobdolon	Yellow Archangel
Liriope muscari (Dcne.) Bailey	Liriope, Lilyturf
Lysimachia nummularia L.	Moneywort, creeping Jenny
Melilotus albus Medik.	White sweet clover
Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam.	Yellow sweet clover
Najas minor All.	Brittle naiad
Pastinaca sativa L.	Wild parsnip
Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt.	Beefsteakplant
Populus alba L.	White poplar
Senecio vulgaris L.	Ragwort
Setaria faberi R.A.W. Herrm.	Nodding foxtail-grass
Triadica sebifera (L.) Small	Chinese tallowtree
Tussilago farfara L.	Coltsfoot
Vicia sativa L.	Garden vetch

Watch List A

Exotic plant species that cause problems in adjacent states but have not yet been reported to cause problems in NC.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Arum italicum P. Mill.	Italian lords and ladies
Buglossoides arvensis (L.) I.M. Johnston (L.) I.M.	Corn gromwell
Bupleurum rotundifolium L.	Hound’s-ear, hare’s ear
Centaurea cyanus L.	Cornflower
Cyperus entrerianus Boeckler	Deep-rooted sedge
Echium vulgare L.	Viper’s bugloss
Elaeagnus pungens Thunb	Thorny olive
Hibiscus syriacus L.	Rose of Sharon
Hypericum perforatum L.	St. John’s-wort
Ilex cornuta	Burford holly
Ornithogalum umbellatum L.	Star of Bethlehem
Solanum dulcamara L.	Climbing nightshade
Verbascum thapsus L.	Common mullein

Watch List B

Exotic plant species that cause problems in adjacent states but have not yet been reported to cause problems in NC.

Scientific Name	Common Name
Acer platanoides L.	Norway maple
Akebia quinata (Houtt.) Dcne.	Fiveleaf akebia
Bromus inermis Leyss.	Smooth bromegrass
Carduus nutans L.	Musk thistle
Carex kobomugi Ohwi	Japanese sedge
Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.	Canada thistle
Commelina benghalensis L.	Bengal dayflower
Hesperis matronalis L.	Dame’s rocket
Imperata cylindrica	Cogon grass
Iris pseudoacorus L.	Pale-yellow iris
Lonicera tatarica L.	Tartarian honeysuckle
Ludwigia grandiflora ssp. grandiflora (Michx) Greuter & Burdet	Creeping waterprimrose
Melia azedarach L.	Chinaberry
Nymphoides cristata (Roxburgh) Kuntze	Crested floating heart
Pistia stratiotes L.	Water-lettuce
Potamogeton crispus L.	Curly pondweed
Quercus acutissima Carruthers	Sawtooth oak
Rhamnus cathartica L.	European buckthorn
Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.	Foxtail-millet
Setaria verticillata (L.) Beauv.	Bur-foxtail
Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv.	Green millet
Stachys floridana Shuttlw. ex Benth.	Florida Hedge nettle
Torilis arvensis (Huds.) Link	Spreading hedge-parsley
Tragopogon dubius Scop.	Yellow goat’s-beard
Trapa natans L.	Water Chestnut
Tribulus terrestris L.	Puncturevine
Xanthium spinosum L.	Spiny cocklebur

Additional Resources

Downloadable List

Download and print a copy of the above invasive plant lists.

Gallery Search

Search our plant gallery database for invasive plants.

North Carolina Invasive Plant Council

On this website, access lists and information about invasive plants and noxious weeds. In addition, access the federal noxious weeds list.

NC State Extension

Learn more about invasive species and search an invasive plant list to find plants you should avoid introducing to your landscape.