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Charlotte ScottInvasive plants in Hawaii pose a uniquely severe threat given the islands’ extreme isolation, since native Hawaiian plants evolved for millions of years with almost no outside competition, leaving them with few defenses against aggressive newcomers. According to research published through the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization, miconia has earned the nicknames “green cancer … Read more
Invasive plants in Australia are formally tracked through a government classification called Weeds of National Significance, and according to the Australian Government’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, that list of 32 species was determined through an assessment process prioritizing invasiveness, potential for spread, and environmental, social, and economic impact. Prickly pear and blackberry, 2 … Read more
Invasive plants in Maryland are regulated through a 2-tier system rather than a single flat ban, and according to the Code of Maryland Regulations, a Tier 1 invasive plant cannot legally be propagated, imported, transferred, sold, purchased, transported, or introduced anywhere in the state, while a Tier 2 plant can still be sold, but only … Read more
Invasive plants in Ontario are tracked through both provincial legislation and a dedicated advocacy organization, and according to Ontario’s Invasive Species Act, 2015, species can be formally classified as either “prohibited” or “restricted,” each carrying different legal obligations for possession, sale, and transport. Giant hogweed, one of the most dangerous plants on this list, was … Read more
Invasive plants in Virginia are tracked through 2 genuinely different systems that carry very different legal weight, and according to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, the agency’s own Invasive Plant Species List, updated to 103 species in September 2024, is published purely for educational purposes and carries no regulatory authority on its own. … Read more
Invasive plant species in Oklahoma include a genuinely unusual case that trips up a lot of people, since one of the state’s most damaging invaders isn’t a foreign import at all. According to Oklahoma State University Extension, eastern redcedar is a native, non-sprouting tree that was historically confined to river bottoms and rocky draws where … Read more
Invasive plants in Georgia are tracked annually through the Georgia Forestry Commission’s informal “Dirty Dozen” list, which ranks the state’s 12 worst invasive species specifically by how many acres each one currently occupies. According to UGA Cooperative Extension, non-native privet holds the top spot on that list, and separate UGA reporting on the issue puts … Read more
Invasive plants in Massachusetts are governed by one of the most comprehensive state-level bans in the country, and according to UMass Amherst’s Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources bans the importation and sale of more than 140 plants identified as either noxious or invasive across the Commonwealth. That … Read more
Invasive plant species in Tennessee are legally regulated on a notably small, precise scale compared to some neighboring states, and according to the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, the state’s Pest Plant Rule regulates the transport and sale of just 13 plant species across 9 different genera. That list includes purple loosestrife, tropical soda apple, Chinese … Read more
Invasive plant species in Connecticut move through a genuinely deliberate, multi-year legislative pipeline before an outright sales ban ever takes effect, and according to the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group, a UConn-hosted consortium now in its 27th year of operation, the state-mandated Invasive Plants Council reviews candidate species and recommends changes to the legislature’s Environment … Read more