Section 3B.
Eastern Region invasive plants, ranked by degree of invasiveness as based on information from States

Categories

  1. Highly invasive
  2. Moderately invasive
  3. Widespread exotic
  4. Locally exotic
  5. Invasive native species
  6. References

Category 1 Plants - highly invasive

These plants are all non-native, highly invasive plants which invade natural habitats and replace native species.

 

Category 2 Plants - moderately invasive

These plants are less invasive than those in Category 1. If these species are significantly replacing native species, then they are doing so only in local areas.

 

Category 3 Plants - widespread non-native species

These plants are often restricted to disturbed ground, and are not especially invasive in undisturbed natural habitats. Most of these species are found throughout much of our range.

 

Category 4 Plants - local concern and monitoring

These plants are non-native species that occur only locally in our region. They are not currently known to be especially invasive, but should be monitored in the future. Many of these plants are cultivated species which occasionally escape.

 

Category 5 Plants - native invasives

These plants are native to North America and have been reported as being invasive in our region, or parts thereof. Some of these plants are regionally exotic, having moved in from another part of North America.

References

This document is an attempt to categorize and list the ecologically invasive plant species in the Forest Service Eastern Region. Included states are Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. This document is a compilation of the invasive species lists and information provided by botanists and ecologists from the above states . Their contributions are greatly appreciated. We have received information on invasive plants from fifteen of the twenty states in our region (see references). Missing states are New Hampshire, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Michigan, and West Virginia. We did not contact Rhode Island; New Hampshire and New Jersey currently have no lists, and Michigan and West Virginia have lists in progress. Additional information on invasiveness was taken from Gleason and Cronquist (1991) and Voss (1972,1985,1996). Recommendations for changes to this list are encouraged.

Delaware Natural Heritage Program. 1998. Non-native plant species in Delaware. Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

Gleason, H.A.; Cronquist, A.C. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden, New York.

Homoya, Michael A. Date unknown. Invasive Exotic Plants in Indiana Natural Areas. Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Provided by Michael A. Homoya, 2 February 1998.

Illinois Nature Preserve Commission. 1990. Vegetation Management Manual. Volume 1, nos. 2-29.

Kearns, Kelly. 1997. These non-native plants and their cultivars have the potential in the Midwest to invade wild areas and outcompete native species, 11/97 revision. Bureau of Endangered Resources, Wisconsin Department of Natiural Resources.

Mehroff, L. J. 1997. Non-native Invasive Plant Species Occurring in Connecticut, Revised Edition October 1997. George Safford Torrey Herbarium.

Minnesota Interagency Exotic Species Task Force. 1991. Report and Recommendations of the Minnesota Interagency Exotic Species Task Force. Submitted to the Natural Resources Committees of the Minnesota House and Senate.

Missouri Department of Conservation. Date unknown. Missouri Exotic Plant Species. List provided by Tim Smith, botanist for the Missouri Natural Heritage Database, 3 February 1998.

Rhoads, Ann. Date unknown. Selected non-native species which have had an impact on native flora or fauna in Pennsylvania. Compiled by the Botany Department, Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.

Sorrie, B.A. and Hellquist, C.B. 1990. Invasive Alien Plants in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program.

Sommers, P. 1996. Invasive non-indigenous plants in Massachusetts. Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.

Sommers, P. 1998. Recommended Changes to Sorrie & Hellquist, 1990. Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program.

Vermont Invasive Exotic Plant Committee. 1996. Invasive Exotic Plants of Vermont, 11/21/96 revision. Compiled by the Vermont Invasive Exotic Plant Committee. Provided by Robert Popp, Heritage Coordinator/Botanist, Vermont Nongame & Natural Heritage Program.

Voss, E. G. 1972. Michigan Flora Part I. Cranbrook Institute of Science Bulletin 55 and the University of Michigan Herbarium.

Voss, E. G. 1985. Michigan Flora Part II. Cranbrook Institute of Science Bulletin 59 and the University of Michigan Herbarium.

Voss, E. G. 1996. Michigan Flora Part III. Cranbrook Institute of Science Bulletin 61 and the University of Michigan Herbarium.

Young, S. 1996. Invasive Alien Plant Species in New York. New York Natural Heritage Program, Department of Environmental Conservation.

Personal Communications

Frye, C. 1998. Personal communication concerning invasive plants in Maryland. Maryland Natural Heritage & Conservation Programs, Department of Natural Resources.

Rooney, S. C. 1998. Personal communication concerning invasive plants in Maine. (srooney@acadia.net)

Pearson, J. 1998. Personal communication concerning invasive plants in Iowa. Iowa Natural Features Inventory, Department of Natural Resources.

Vinvent, M. A. 1998. Personal communication concerning invasive plants in Ohio. Herbarium, Department of Botany, Miami University, Ohio.

Windus, J. 1998. Personal communication concerning invasive plants in Ohio. Ohio Division of Natural Areas & Preserves, Department of Natural Resources, Columbus, Ohio.