Wisconsin Manual of Control Recommendations: Ecologically Invasive Plants
Species Covered in this Manual
Exotic Species
| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | HABITAT 1 |
|---|---|---|
| TREES | ||
| Common Buckthorn | Rhamnus cathartica * | F, G, W |
| Glossy Buckthorn | Rhamnus frangula * |
F, G, W |
| Siberian Elm | Ulmus pumila * | G |
| SHRUBS | ||
| Tatarian Honeysuckle | Lonicera tatarica * | F, G |
| Morrow's Honeysuckle | Lonicera morrowii | F, G |
| Bella Honeysuckle | Lonicera x bella | F, G |
| Japanese Barberry | Berberis thunbergii * | F |
| Multiflora Rose | Rosa multiflora | F, G |
| FORBS | ||
| Garlic Mustard | Alliaria petiolata | F |
| Plumeless Thistle | Carduus acanthoides | G |
| Musk Thistle | Carduus nutans | G |
| Bull Thistle | Cirsium vulgare | G |
| Spotted Knapweed | Centaurea biebersteinii | G |
| Canada Thistle | Cirsium arvense | G |
| Crown Vetch | Coronilla varia * | G |
| Cut-Leaved Teasel | Dipsacus laciniatus * | G |
| Common Teasel | Dipsacus sylvestris * | G |
| Leafy Spurge | Euphorbia esula | G |
| Dame's Rocket | Hesperis matronalis * | F |
| Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | G |
| Yellow Sweet Clover | Melilotus officinalis * | G |
| White Sweet Clover | Melilotus alba * | G |
| Wild Parsnip | Pastinaca sativa * | W |
| GRASSES | ||
| Reed Canary Grass | Phalaris arundinacea * | W, G |
| Canada Bluegrass | Poa compressa * | G |
| Kentucky Bluegrass | Poa pratensis * | G |
| AQUATICS | ||
| Eurasian Water Milfoil | Myriophyllum spicatum | L |
Translocated or Opportunistic Species
Although native, many of these species can dominate natural areas or restorations, particularly if there has been some disturbance (or lack of management such as fire).
| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | HABITAT 1 |
|---|---|---|
| TREES, SHRUBS & VINES | ||
| Boxelder | Acer negundo | G, F, W |
| Grey Osier Dogwood | Cornus racemosa | W, G |
| Red Osier Dogwood | Cornus sericea | W, G |
| Eastern Red Cedar | Juniperus virginica | G |
| Eastern Cottonwood | Populus deltoides | G, W |
| Big-toothed Aspen | Populus grandidentata | G |
| Quaking Aspen | Populus tremuloides | G |
| Smooth Sumac | Rhus glabra | G |
| Staghorn Sumac | Rhus typhina | G |
| Black Locust | Robinia pseudoacacia | G, F |
| Willows | Salix spp. | W, G |
| Poison Ivy | Toxicodendron radicans | G, F |
| GRASSES & GRASS-LIKE SPECIES | ||
| Narrow-leaved Cattail | Typha angustifolia spp. | W |
| Common Cattail | Typha latifolia | W |
Potential Problem Species not Covered in this Manual
Listed below are exotic and native species that are potentially threatening to Wisconsin's native habitats. Many are already invasive in the state on a local scale, and others (marked with a #) have become serious problems in other parts of the midwest and may become troublesome in Wisconsin in the future. Land managers and others interested in maintaining stable native plant populations should watch for these potentially problematic species and attempt to control them before they become a serious threat. Those species marked with an asterisk (*) are non-native species currently being sold in Wisconsin.
Exotic Species
| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | HABITAT 1 |
|---|---|---|
| TREES | ||
| Amur Maple | Acer ginnala * | G, F |
| Norway Maple | Acer platanoides * | F |
| Tree-of-Heaven | Ailanthus altissima | G, F |
| European (Black) Alder | Alnus glutinosa | W |
| Russian Olive | Elaeagnus angustifolia * | G |
| White Mulberry | Morus alba * | G, F |
| White Poplar | Populus alba * | G, F |
| Chinese Elm | Ulmus parviflora* | G, F |
| SHRUBS | ||
| European Barberry | Berberis vulgaris | F |
| Siberian Pea Shrub | Caragana arborescens * |
F, G |
| Burning Bush |
Euonymus alatus * |
F |
| Common Privet | Ligustrum vulgare * | F, G |
| Amur Honeysuckle | Lonicera maacki # | F, G |
| Wayfaring Tree | Viburum lantana * | F |
| European Highbush Cranberry | Viburnum opulus * | F |
| VINES | ||
| Porcelain Berry | Ampelopsis brevipedunculata * | F |
| Round-leaved Bittersweet | Celastrus orbiculatus | F |
| Wintercreeper | Euonymous fortunei * | F |
| English Ivy | Hedera helix * | F |
| Japanese Honeysuckle | Lonicera japonica * # | F |
| Mile-a-minute | Polygonum perfoliatum # | F |
| Periwinkle | Vinca minor * | F |
| Black Swallow-wort | Vincetoxicum rossicum,V. nigrum | F |
| FORBS | ||
| Burdock | Arctium minus | G, F |
| Ox-eye daisy | Chrysanthemum leucanthemum * | G |
| Lily-of-the-Valley | Convallaria majalis * | F |
| Field Bindweed | Convulvulus arvensis | G |
| Queen Anne's Lace | Daucus carota * | G |
| Hairy Willow Herb | Epilobium hirsutum | W, WP |
| Cypress Spurge | Euphorbia cyparissias * | G |
| Creeping Charlie | Glechoma hederacea | F |
| Baby's Breath | Gypsophila paniculata * | D |
| Day Lily | Hemerocallis fulva | G |
| Orange Hawkweed | Hieracium aurantiacum | G |
| Yellow Hawkweed | Hieracium canadense | G |
| St. John's-Wort | Hypericum perforatum * | G |
| Sericea lespedeza | Lespedeza cuneata # | G |
| Bird's foot Trefoil | Lotus corniculatus * | G |
| Moneywort | Lysimachia nummularia * | S, W |
| Common Forget-Me-Not | Myosotis scorpiodes * | S |
| Japanese Knotweed | Polygonum cuspidatum | F, G |
| Giant Knotweed | Polygonum soccilense # | F, G |
| Lesser Celandine | Ranunculus ficaria | F |
| Hedge Parsley | Torilis japonicus | FE |
| Deadly Nightshade | Solanum spp. | DA |
| Garden Heliotrope | Valeriana officinalis * | MO, F |
| Common Mullein | Verbascum thaspus | G |
| GRASSES & GRASS-LIKE SPECIES | ||
| Smooth Brome | Bromus inermis | G |
| Quack Grass | Elytrigia repens | G |
| Japanese Stilt Grass | Microstegium vimineum # | W |
| Phragmites | Phragmites australis | F |
| AQUATICS | ||
| Flowering Rush | Butomus umbellatus # | W |
| Aquatic Forget-Me-Not | Myosotis scorpioides | WG |
| Curly-Leaf Pondweed | Potamogeton crispus | L |
| Water Chestnut | Trapa nutans | R |
Additional Wisconsin Species That Can Be Invasive
| COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME | HABITAT 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Giant Ragweed | Ambrosia trifida | G |
| Horsetail | Equisetum spp. | W, MW |
| White Snakeroot | Eupatorium rugosum | F |
| Virginia Waterleaf | Hydrophyllum virgianum | F |
| Raspberries/Blackberries | Rubus spp. | F, G |
| Tall Goldenrod | Solidago altissima | G |
| Canada Goldenrod | Solidago canadensis | G |
| Wild Grape | Vitis spp. | F |
| Prickly Ash | Zanthoxylum americanum | F |
* Indicates non-native species currently being sold in
Wisconsin.
# Indicates it may become troublesome in Wisconsin in the future, has become a serious problem in other parts of the Midwest
1 Habitat codes
F = Forest
G = Grassland
W= Wetland
L = Lakes
S = Springs
R = River
D = Dunes
WP = Wet Praries
WG = Wet Ground
FE = Forest Edge
DA = Disturbed Areas
MO = Moist Openings
MW = Moist Woods
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