Plants
Last updated on August 10, 2023Government has evaluated more than 300 terrestrial and aquatic plant species to determine likelihood of occurrence, establishment and spread as well as to determine which pose the greatest threat. 48 plant species are candidates for early detection and rapid response activities and 118 other species are recommended for other levels of management.
There are 5 priority categories. A plant's priority category determines the province's response.
- Prevent
- Early detection and rapid response (EDRR)
- Provincial Containment
- Regional containment/control
- Management
The plants on this page are organized into these categories.
View the information below in a table format
Prevent
These species are determined to be high risk to B.C. and are not yet established. Management objective is prevent the introduction and establishment.
Camelthorn
Alhagi maurorum
Eggleaf spurge (PDF, 2MB)
Euphorbia oblongata
Hydrilla (PDF, 585KB)
Hydrilla verticillata
Johnsongrass
Sorghum halepense
Meadow Clary (PDF, 526KB)
Salvia pratensis
Purple nutsedge (PDF, 127KB)
Cyperus rotundus
Silverleaf nightshade
Solanum elaeagnifolium
Spring milletgrass
Milium vernale
Syrian bean-caper
Zygophyllum fabago
Clary sage
Salvia sclarea
Goatsrue
Galega officinalis
Iberian starthistle
Centaurea iberica
Jointed goatgrass (PDF, 356KB)
Aegilops cylindrica
Mediterranean sage
Salvia aethiopis
Purple starthistle
Centaurea calcitrapa
Slender/Meadow foxtail
Alopecurus myosuroides
Spurge Flax
Thymelaea passerina
Texas Blueweed
Helianthus ciliaris
Common crupina
Crupina vulgaris
Halogeton/Saltlover
Halogeton glomeratus
Italian thistle
Carduus pycnocephalus
Kudzu (PDF, 810KB)
Pueraria montana var. lobata
Medusahead (PDF, 766KB)
Taeniatherum caput-medusae
Red bartsia
Odontites serotina
Slenderflower thistle/winged thistle
Carduus tenuiflorus
Squarrose knapweed (PDF, 113KB)
Centaurea virgata ssp. squarrosa
Water soldier
Stratiotes aloides
Early detection and rapid response (EDRR)
Learn more about the provincial EDRR.
These species are high risk to B.C. and are new to the Province. Management objective is eradication.
African rue
Peganum harmala
Dyer's woad
Isatis tinctoria
Giant reed
Arundo donax
Hawkweed, mouse ear (PDF, 530KB)
Hieracium pilosella
Shiny geranium (PDF, 1.9MB)
Geranium lucidum
Water lettuce
Pistia stratiotes
Black henbane (PDF, 359KB)
Hyoscyamus niger
European common reed (PDF, 558KB)
Phragmites australis
Invasive cordgrasses
Spartina spp.
North Africa grass (PDF, 525KB)
Ventenata dubia
Slender False brome (PDF, 1MB)
Brachypodium sylvaticum subsp. sylvaticum
Yellow floating heart (PDF, 835KB)
Nymphoides peltata
Brazilian Elodea/Waterweed (PDF, 506KB)
Egeria densa
Flowering rush (PDF, 508KB)
Butomus umbellatus
Maltese star thistle
Centaurea melitensis
Perennial pepperweed (PDF, 592KB)
Lepidium latifolium
Water hyacinth
Eichhornia crassipes
Yellow starthistle (PDF, 134KB)
Centaurea solstitialis
Provincial containment
Species is high risk with limited extent in B.C. but significant potential to spread. Management objective is to prevent further expansion into new areas with the ultimate goal of reducing the overall extent.
Regional containment/control
Species is high risk and well established, or medium risk with high potential for spread. Management objective is to prevent further expansion into new areas within the region through establishment of containment lines and identification of occurrences outside the line to control.
Blueweed (PDF, 135KB)
Echium vulgare
Field scabious (PDF, 137KB)
Knautia arvensis
Hoary alyssum (PDF, 133KB)
Berteroa incana
Leafy spurge (PDF, 154KB)
Euphorbia esula
Policeman's helmet/Himalayan balsam
Impatiens glandulifera
Spotted knapweed (PDF, 169KB)
Centaurea stoebe
Yellow archangel
Lamium galeobdolon
Common bugloss (PDF, 125KB)
Anchusa officinalis
Himalayan blackberry
Rubus armeniacus
Hoary cress (PDF, 160KB)
Cardaria draba
Marsh plume thistle / marsh thistle (PDF, 157KB)
Cirsium palustre
Puncturevine (PDF, 124KB)
Tribulus terrestris
Teasel (PDF, 665KB)
Dipsacus fullonum
Yellow flag iris
Iris pseudacorus
Common tansy (PDF, 150KB)
Tanacetum vulgare
Himalayan knotweed
Persicaria wallichii
Knotweeds (Japanese, Giant and Bohemian)
Fallopia/Reynoutria and Polygonum spp.
Orange hawkweed (PDF, 166KB) Hieracium aurantiacum
Scotch broom
Cytisus scoparius
Whiplash hawkweed
Hieracium flagellare
Management
Species is more widespread but may be of concern in specific situations with certain high values - for example, conservation lands, specific agriculture crops. Management objective is to reduce the invasive species impacts locally or regionally, where resources are available.
Bur chervil
Anthriscus caucalis
Eurasian water milfoil (PDF, 288 KB)
Myriophyllum spicatum
Longspine Sandbur
Cenchrus longispinus
Scentless chamomile (PDF, 139KB) Tripleurospermum inodorum
Sulphur cinquefoil (PDF, 133KB)
Potentilla recta
Carpet burweed
Soliva sessilis
Gorse (PDF, 144KB)
Ulex europaeus
Mountain bluet
Centaurea montana
Scotch thistle (PDF, 152KB)
Onopordum acanthium
Sweet fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
Cypress spurge
Euphorbia cyparissias
Invasive yellow hawkweeds
Hieracium spp.
Purple loosestrife (PDF, 140KB)
Lythrum salicaria
Spurge laurel/Daphne
Daphne laureola
Tansy ragwort (PDF, 140KB)
Jacobaea vulgaris
Invasive plants with biocontrol
The B.C. government uses biocontrol agents to reduce invasive plant populations to ecologically and economically acceptable levels, and to prevent invasive plants spreading into new areas.