Which Plants Are Truly “Invasive?”

You hear all kinds of concerns about various plants being invasive in our landscapes and gardens as well as our natural areas. But which ones are truly a problem? I asked my Facebook friends to help me develop a list, and here is what we all came up with.

Annuals
Perilla
Mexican poinsettia

Perennials
Obedient plant
Moonflowers (angel’s trumpet)
Evening primrose (wildflower)
Spiderwort
Jewels of Opar
Ruellia (Mexican petunias) – the tall type
Turk’s cap
Four o’clocks
Yarrow
Horsetail (Equisetum)

Fruit
Blackberries (trailing “dewberries”)

Herbs
Thyme
Oregano
Mint

Grasses
Inland sea oats
Maidengrass
Bamboo

Shrubs
Yaupon hollies
Japanese ligustrum
Amur River privet

Trees
Cottonwoods
Pecan
Chinese tallow
Hackberry
Mulberries

Vines
Trumpetvine/trumpetcreeper
Cypress vines (annuals)
English ivy
Possessionvine
Honeysuckle
Snailseed vine
Passionvine
Morning glories (annuals)
Air potatovine
Creeping fig

Groundcovers
Houttuyunia
Mondograss (monkeygrass)
Mock strawberry (Duchesnea)