Ottawa National Forest Invasive Plant Priority List

The following is a table listing the priority of invasive plants, developed by the Ottawa National Forest (ONF). Last updated February 17, 2023.

List of invasive species by priority. The priority management protocol is below the table.

Priority

Common name

Scientific name

High

Garlic mustard

Alliaria petiolata

High

Japanese barberry

Berberis thunbergii

High

Bell’s honeysuckle

Lonicera × bella

High

Morrow’s honeysuckle

Lonicera morrowii

High

Tartarian honeysuckle

Lonicera tartarica

High

Purple loosestrife

Lythrum salicaria*

High

Eurasian watermilfoil

Myriophyllum spicatum*

High

Common buckthorn

Rhamnus cathartica

High

Glossy buckthorn

Rhamnus frangula

New Invader/High

Siberian peashrub

Caragana arborescens

New Invader/High

Houndstongue

Cynoglossum officinale

New Invader/High

Cutleaf teasel

Dipsacus laciniatus

New Invader/High

Autumn olive

Elaeagnus umbellata

New Invader/High

Leafy spurge

Euphorbia esula

New Invader/High

Giant hogweed

Heracleum mantegazzianum**, *

New Invader/High

Dames rocket

Hesperis matronalis

New Invader/High

Paleyellow iris

Iris pseudacorus

New Invader/High

Purple moor grass

Molinia caerulea

New Invader/High

Common reed

Phragmites australis

New Invader/High

Burnet-saxifrage

Pimpinella saxifraga

New Invader/High

Japanese knotweed

Fallopia japonica*

New Invader/High

Giant knotweed

Fallopia sachalinensis

New Invader/High

Curlyleaf pondweed

Potamogeton crispus*

New Invader/High

Tansy ragwort

Senecio jacobaea

New Invader/High

Japanese hedgeparsley

Torilis japonica

Medium

Bishop’s goutweed

Aegopodium podagraria

Medium

Wild chervil

Anthriscus sylvestris

Medium

European swamp thistle

Cirsium palustre

Medium

Flat pea

Lathyrus sylvestris

Medium

Sweet-clover

Melilotus officinalis

Medium

Wild parsnip

Pastinaca sativa

Medium

Reed canarygrass

Phalaris arundinacea

Medium

Scots pine

Pinus sylvestris

Medium

Crown-vetch

Securigera varia

Medium

Garden valerian

Valeriana officinalis

Low

Burdock

Arctium minus

Low

Hoary alyssum

Berteroa incana

Low

Smooth brome

Bromus inermis 

Low

Spotted knapweed

Centaurea stoebe

Low

Canada thistle

Cirsium arvense*

Low

Bull thistle

Cirsium vulgare

Low

Orchard grass

Dactylis glomerata

Low

Queen Anne’s lace

Daucus carota*

Low

Hemp-nettle

Galeopsis tetrahit

Low

Orange hawkweed

Hieracium aurantiacum

Low

Tall hawkweed

Hieracium piloselloides

Low

Common St. Johnswort

Hypericum perforatum

Low

Nipplewort

Lapsana communis

Low

Oxeye daisy

Leucanthemum vulgare

Low

Butter-and-eggs

Linaria vulgaris

Low

Bird’s-foot trefoil

Lotus corniculata

Low

Bigleaf lupine

Lupinus polyphyllus

Low

True forget-me-not

Myosotis scorpioides

Low

Tall buttercup

Ranunculus acris

Low

Black locust

Robinia pseudoacacia

Low

Curly dock

Rumex crispus

Low

Crack willow

Salix fragilis and S. X rubens

Low

Bouncingbet

Saponaria officinalis

Low

Climbing nightshade

Solanum dulcamara

Low

Field sowthistle

Sonchus arvensis*

Low

Common tansy

Tanacetum vulgare

Low

Common periwinkle

Vinca minor

Watch List

Flowering rush

Butomus umbellatus 

Watch List

Poison hemlock

Conium laculatum 

Watch List

Paradise plant

Daphne mezereum

Watch List

Common teasel

Dipsacus fullonum

Watch List

European frogbit

Hydrocharis morsus-ranae

Watch List

False spiraea

Sorbaria sorbifolia

Priority management protocol:

  1. High priority and New Invader/High priority = record and map all sites and treat most sites.
  2. Medium priority = record and map sites in natural areas (i.e. not on roadsides); map larger sites anywhere but treat under selected circumstances (for example, crown vetch in a gravel pit, smaller isolated sites).
  3. Low priority = map only large infestations in natural areas. Treat only under special circumstances.
  4. Watch List = record and map all sites, treat most sites. None of these are known on the Ottawa and are rare or not yet found in the state of Michigan.

The ONF invasive plant priority list was developed using the Alien Plants Ranking System (Hiebert 2001), a computer program developed by the National Park Service, Northern Arizona University, Ripon College, University of Minnesota, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The list was approved by the ONF Management Team on April 13, 2005 and again on May 23, 2017. Comments and questions on the list are welcome.

Hiebert, Ron. 2001. Prioritizing Weeds: The Alien Plant Ranking System. Conservation Magazine, Volume 2, No. 1.