Plants
Last updated on March 31, 2025Government 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 with additional information on:
The priority categories are also available 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.
African rue
Peganum harmala
Camelthorn
Alhagi maurorum
Common crupina
Crupina vulgaris
Halogeton/Saltlover
Halogeton glomeratus
Hydrilla (PDF, 585KB)
Hydrilla verticillata
Iberian starthistle
Centaurea iberica
Italian thistle
Carduus pycnocephalus
Johnsongrass
Sorghum halepense
Kudzu (PDF, 810KB)
Pueraria montana var. lobata
Mediterranean sage
Salvia aethiopis
Medusahead (PDF, 766KB)
Taeniatherum caput-medusae
Paterson’s Curse
Echium plantagineum
Purple nutsedge (PDF, 127KB)
Cyperus rotundus
Purple starthistle
Centaurea calcitrapa
Red bartsia
Odontites serotina
Silverleaf nightshade
Solanum elaeagnifolium
Slender/Meadow foxtail
Alopecurus myosuroides
Slenderflower thistle/winged thistle
Carduus tenuiflorus
Spring milletgrass
Milium vernale
Spurge Flax
Thymelaea passerina
Squarrose knapweed (PDF, 113KB)
Centaurea virgata ssp. squarrosa
Syrian bean-caper
Zygophyllum fabago
Texas Blueweed
Helianthus ciliaris
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.
Black henbane (PDF, 950KB)
Hyoscyamus niger
Brazilian Elodea/Waterweed (PDF, 506KB)
Egeria densa
Dyer's woad
Isatis tinctoria
Eggleaf spurge (PDF, 2MB)
Euphorbia oblongata
European common reed (PDF, 558KB)
Phragmites australis
Flowering rush (PDF, 508KB)
Butomus umbellatus
Invasive cordgrasses
Spartina spp.
Jointed goatgrass (PDF, 356KB)
Aegilops cylindrica
Maltese star thistle
Centaurea melitensis
Mouse ear hawkweed (PDF, 530KB)
Hieracium pilosella
Perennial pepperweed (PDF, 592KB)
Lepidium latifolium
Portuguese Broom (PDF, 1.7MB)
Cytisus striatus
Slender False brome (PDF, 1MB)
Brachypodium sylvaticum subsp. sylvaticum
Water hyacinth
Eichhornia crassipes
Water lettuce
Pistia stratiotes
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.
Garlic mustard (PDF, 346KB)
Alliaria petiolata
Giant hogweed (PDF, 660KB)
Heracleum mantegazzianum
Japanese butterbur
Petasites japonica
North Africa grass (PDF, 525KB)
Ventenata dubia
Poison hemlock (PDF, 550KB)
Conium maculatum
Shiny geranium (PDF, 1.9MB)
Geranium lucidum
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
Common bugloss (PDF, 125KB)
Anchusa officinalis
Common fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
Common tansy (PDF, 150KB)
Tanacetum vulgare
Field scabious (PDF, 137KB)
Knautia arvensis
Garden yellow loosestrife
Lysimachia vulgaris
Gorse (PDF, 144KB)
Ulex europaeus
Himalayan blackberry
Rubus armeniacus
Hoary alyssum (PDF, 133KB)
Berteroa incana
Hoary cress (PDF, 160KB)
Cardaria draba
Knotweeds (Japanese, Giant and Bohemian) (PDF, 809KB)
Treatment Guidelines (PDF, 165KB)
Fallopia/Reynoutria and Polygonum spp.
Leafy spurge (PDF, 154KB)
Euphorbia esula
Marsh plume thistle / marsh thistle (PDF, 157KB)
Cirsium palustre
Milk thistle
Silybum marianum
Princess tree
Paulownia tomentosa
Policeman's helmet/Himalayan balsam
Impatiens glandulifera
Puncturevine (PDF, 124KB)
Tribulus terrestris
Purple loosestrife (PDF, 140KB)
Lythrum salicaria
Rush skeletonweed (PDF, 151KB)
Chondrilla juncea
Scotch broom
Cytisus scoparius
Spotted knapweed (PDF, 169KB)
Centaurea stoebe
Tamarisk/Salt cedar
Tamarix ramosissima
Tree of heaven
Ailanthus altissima
Whiplash hawkweed
Hieracium flagellare
White-flowered broom
Cytisus multiflorus
Wild chervil (PDF, 132KB)
Anthriscus sylvestris
Yellow archangel
Lamium galeobdolon
Yellow flag iris
Iris pseudacorus
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.
Black locust
Robinia pseudoacacia
Bur chervil
Anthriscus caucalis
Carpet burweed
Soliva sessilis
Clary sage
Salvia sclarea
Cypress spurge
Euphorbia cyparissias
Diffuse knapweed
Centaurea diffusa
English holly
Ilex aquifolium
English ivy
Hedera helix
Eurasian water milfoil (PDF, 288 KB)
Myriophyllum spicatum
Invasive yellow hawkweeds
Hieracium spp.
Longspine Sandbur
Cenchrus longispinus
Meadow Clary (PDF, 526KB)
Salvia pratensis
Mountain bluet
Centaurea montana
Orange hawkweed (PDF, 166KB)
Hieracium aurantiacum
Russian olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia
Scentless chamomile (PDF, 139KB)
Tripleurospermum inodorum
Scotch thistle (PDF, 152KB)
Onopordum acanthium
Siberian elm
Ulmus pumila
Spurge laurel/Daphne
Daphne laureola
Sulphur cinquefoil (PDF, 133KB)
Potentilla recta
Sweet fennel
Foeniculum vulgare
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.
Invasive Trees
A list of non-native tree species, as assessed by the BC Ministry of Forests’ Invasive Plant Program and the BC Inter-Ministry Invasive Species Working Group, has been confirmed as either invasive or potential species of concern to British Columbia. These tree species may spread quickly and threaten environmental, social, cultural and/or economic values. While none of the following species are currently Provincially regulated, planting, selling, or trading of these species is strongly discouraged and removal where possible is recommended.
Learn more about these Invasive Trees (PDF, 181KB)