When it comes to your backyard, it’s not always the early bird that gets the worm—it’s the unwelcome guest that overstays its welcome. From coast to coast, invasive plants are spreading like wildfire, choking out native greenery and turning gardens into battlegrounds.
But don’t throw in the towel just yet! With a little know-how and elbow grease, you can nip the problem in the bud and reclaim your turf.
1. Purple Loosestrife: The Wetland Destroyer
Don’t be charmed by Purple loosestrife’s tall spikes of vibrant purple flowers—it’s a silent killer of wetlands. This aggressive invader forms dense stands that crowd out native plants, disrupt water flow, and destroy habitats for birds, fish, and amphibians. A single plant can produce over 2 million seeds annually, and its underground root system regenerates from fragments.
For small outbreaks, hand-pulling before flowering can help, but roots must be fully removed. Larger infestations often require a mix of mechanical removal and targeted herbicide use. Early detection and consistent follow-up are key to keeping this floral menace in check.
2. Japanese Knotweed: The Concrete Cracker
Don’t be fooled by Japanese knotweed’s bamboo-like appearance and pretty white flowers. This monster can grow through concrete, damage foundations, and lower property values. Its underground rhizomes spread up to 70 feet from the parent plant.
Professional removal is often necessary for established patches. For smaller infestations, cut stems repeatedly and cover the area with heavy-duty tarps for at least two growing seasons. Regular monitoring is crucial as even tiny root fragments can regenerate.
3. Kudzu: The Vine That Ate the South
Kudzu blankets the Southern landscape, growing up to a foot per day and smothering everything in its path. Introduced from Japan for erosion control, it now covers over 7 million acres across the United States.
Persistent cutting of vines at root crowns can eventually exhaust the plant’s resources. Goats and sheep love munching on kudzu and can help control small infestations. For chemical control, use herbicides containing triclopyr or glyphosate applied directly to cut stems or foliage.
4. English Ivy: The Wall Climber
English ivy might seem like an elegant garden addition, but this aggressive climber damages tree bark, blocks sunlight, and creates perfect hiding spots for pests. When growing vertically, it produces berries spread far and wide by birds.
Pull vines by hand from the ground, creating a 2-foot ivy-free zone around trees. For vertical growth, cut vines at the base and allow the upper portions to die before carefully removing them. Replace with native ground covers like wild ginger or foamflower.
5. Garlic Mustard: The Forest Floor Invader
Garlic mustard might smell pleasant when crushed, but there’s nothing nice about how it dominates forest understories. This biennial herb releases chemicals that prevent native plant growth and reduces habitat for native butterflies.
Hand-pulling before seed production is effective for small patches. Pull the entire root to prevent resprouting, and bag plants that have already flowered to prevent seed spread. Community “pull events” can tackle larger infestations, but persistence is key—monitoring must continue for at least five years.
6. Tree of Heaven: The Stinky Imposter
Despite its heavenly name, this fast-growing tree emits a foul odor when its leaves are crushed. Originally imported from China, it now threatens native forests across America and serves as the preferred host for another invasive pest—the spotted lanternfly.
Young seedlings can be hand-pulled, but mature trees require professional removal with herbicide treatment of cut stumps. Female trees produce up to 300,000 seeds annually, so identification and removal of seed-bearing trees should be prioritized to prevent further spread.
7. Japanese Barberry: The Tick Magnet
Those innocent-looking red berries hide a sinister secret. Japanese barberry creates perfect humid microclimates for ticks that carry Lyme disease. Studies show areas with barberry have 120% more ticks than barberry-free zones.
Wear thick gloves to protect against thorns when removing small plants by hand. For larger infestations, cut plants to the ground and apply herbicide to the stumps. Replace with native alternatives like winterberry holly or Virginia sweetspire for similar ornamental appeal without the ecological damage.
8. Multiflora Rose: The Thorny Nightmare
Once planted as living fences for livestock, multiflora rose now forms impenetrable thorny thickets across fields and forest edges. A single plant can produce up to a million seeds that remain viable in soil for 20 years.
Mowing repeatedly during the growing season can weaken established plants. For manual removal, dig out the entire root crown and wear heavy gloves to protect against vicious thorns. Herbicides containing triclopyr or glyphosate can be effective when applied to freshly cut stems in late summer.
9. Norway Maple: The Shade Dominator
Norway maples might look similar to native sugar maples, but their dense canopy and shallow root system create “green deserts” underneath where nothing else grows. The easiest identification trick: break a leaf stem and look for milky sap.
Remove seedlings by hand before they establish. For mature trees, consult with an arborist about responsible removal and replacement with native alternatives like red maple or American basswood. Avoid planting Norway maples, even cultivated varieties marketed as non-invasive.
10. Oriental Bittersweet: The Tree Strangler
Those festive orange berries make beautiful fall decorations, but oriental bittersweet vines strangle trees and bring down power lines with their weight. Birds spread the colorful berries widely, creating new infestations miles from the original source.
Cut vines near the ground and apply herbicide to the stumps. Pull young plants by hand, making sure to remove all roots. Never use oriental bittersweet in wreaths or decorations, as this spreads seeds to new areas. Plant native American bittersweet instead.
11. Russian Olive: The Desert Invader
With silvery leaves that shimmer in the breeze, Russian olive might look attractive, but it’s a serious threat to western riparian areas. This drought-tolerant tree displaces native vegetation and alters soil chemistry through nitrogen fixation.
Young seedlings can be hand-pulled, but established trees require cutting and immediate herbicide treatment of stumps. Monitoring for resprouts is essential. In arid regions, replace with native alternatives like silver buffaloberry or New Mexico olive that provide similar aesthetic appeal.
12. Chinese Privet: The Southern Hedge Gone Wild
Originally planted as a formal hedge, Chinese privet now blankets southern forests, forming dense thickets that block sunlight and prevent native plant regeneration. Birds readily spread the small black berries, creating new invasions far from parent plants.
Hand-pull small plants when soil is moist, ensuring removal of the entire root system. For larger infestations, cut plants to the ground and immediately treat stumps with herbicide. Replace with native alternatives like American beautyberry or Virginia sweetspire.
13. Autumn Olive: The Deceptive Beauty
Don’t be fooled by autumn olive’s fragrant flowers and silvery-speckled leaves. This aggressive shrub fixes nitrogen in soil, altering conditions to favor itself over native plants. A single plant produces up to 200,000 seeds spread widely by birds.
Cut larger shrubs and immediately treat stumps with herbicide to prevent resprouting. Pull young seedlings by hand, ensuring the entire root is removed. Community efforts are often needed for larger infestations. Replace with native serviceberry or elderberry for similar wildlife benefits.
14. Bradford Pear: The Stinky Street Tree
Those pretty white spring flowers smell like rotting fish, but the real problem comes when Bradford pears cross-pollinate with other pear varieties to produce viable seeds. The resulting wild trees form thorny thickets that crowd out native vegetation.
Many communities now offer “bounty” programs where homeowners can exchange Bradford pears for native tree alternatives. If removing one yourself, ensure the stump is treated with herbicide to prevent resprouting. Native alternatives include serviceberry, dogwood, or redbud.
15. Burning Bush: The Fall Color Culprit
Burning bush earned its place in landscapes with spectacular fall color, but birds spread its seeds into natural areas where it forms dense thickets. In some states, selling this shrub is now prohibited due to its invasive tendencies.
Remove small plants by hand-pulling, ensuring the entire root system comes out. For larger specimens, cut at the base and immediately apply herbicide to the stump. Native alternatives with similar fall color include Virginia sweetspire, highbush blueberry, or black chokeberry.
16. Common Buckthorn: The Woodland Destroyer
Common buckthorn leafs out early and holds its leaves late into fall, giving it a competitive advantage over native plants. Its berries act as a powerful laxative in birds, speeding seed dispersal across the landscape.
Pull seedlings by hand when soil is moist. For larger trees, cut at the base and immediately treat stumps with herbicide to prevent resprouting. Controlled burning can help manage large infestations in natural areas. Replace with native alternatives like American hazelnut or nannyberry.
17. Giant Hogweed: The Dangerous Giant
This is not just an ecological threat but a public health hazard. Giant hogweed sap causes severe burns, blisters, and even permanent scarring when skin is exposed to sunlight. Growing up to 15 feet tall with 5-foot leaves, it’s an unmistakable monster.
Never touch this plant without protective clothing, goggles, and gloves. Report sightings to local agricultural extension offices immediately. Professional removal is strongly recommended. Smaller plants can be controlled by cutting the taproot several inches below ground level.
18. Yellow Flag Iris: The Wetland Menace
Yellow flag iris adds bright color to water gardens, but quickly escapes to natural wetlands where it forms dense mats that displace native vegetation. All parts of the plant are toxic to livestock and wildlife.
Dig out rhizomes completely, being careful not to leave fragments that can resprout. Cutting flower heads before they form seeds helps prevent spread. Dispose of all plant parts in sealed plastic bags in the trash, never in compost or natural areas. Replace with native blue flag iris.