Invasive Plants
Browse invasive plant profiles, impacts, source-backed records, and public map points.
Species profiles
Cheatgrass
Bromus tectorum
An annual grass that invades rangelands and dry habitats in western North America.
PlantGiant hogweed
Heracleum mantegazzianum
A tall invasive plant whose sap can cause severe skin burns after sunlight exposure.
PlantHydrilla
Hydrilla verticillata
A submerged aquatic plant that forms dense mats in lakes, rivers, and reservoirs.
PlantKudzu
Pueraria montana
A fast-growing vine that blankets trees, structures, and open land.
PlantPurple loosestrife
Lythrum salicaria
A wetland plant that produces purple flower spikes and dense stands.
PlantSaltcedar
Tamarix ramosissima
A riparian shrub or small tree that invades stream corridors and arid-region waterways.
PlantTree of heaven
Ailanthus altissima
A fast-growing tree that spreads by seeds and root sprouts and is a preferred host for spotted lanternfly.
PlantWater hyacinth
Pontederia crassipes
A floating aquatic plant that forms dense mats in warm freshwater systems.