Plants

Last updated on September 26, 2024

Government 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.

  1. Prevent
  2. Early detection and rapid response (EDRR)
  3. Provincial Containment
  4. Regional containment/control
  5. 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.

African rue

African rue
Peganum harmala​

Camelthorn

Camelthorn
Alhagi maurorum

Common crupina

Common crupina
Crupina vulgaris


Halogeton/Saltlover

Halogeton/Saltlover
Halogeton glomeratus​

Hydrilla

Hydrilla (PDF, 585KB)
Hydrilla verticillata

Iberian starthistle

Iberian starthistle
Centaurea iberica​


Italian thistle

Italian thistle
Carduus pycnocephalus

Johnsongrass

Johnsongrass
Sorghum halepense​

Kudzu

Kudzu (PDF, 810KB)  
Pueraria montana var. lobata


Mediterranean sage

Mediterranean sage
Salvia aethiopis​

Medusahead

Medusahead (PDF, 766KB)
Taeniatherum caput-medusae​

 

 

 

 

 

Paterson’s Curse
Echium plantagineum


Purple nutsedge

Purple nutsedge (PDF, 127KB)  
Cyperus rotundus

Purple starthistle

Purple starthistle
Centaurea calcitrapa​

Red bartsia

Red bartsia
Odontites serotina


Silverleaf nightshade

Silverleaf nightshade
Solanum elaeagnifolium

Slender/Meadow foxtail

Slender/Meadow foxtail
Alopecurus myosuroides​

Slenderflower thistle/winged thistle

Slenderflower thistle/winged thistle
Carduus tenuiflorus​


Spring milletgrass

Spring milletgrass
Milium vernale

Spurge Flax

Spurge Flax
Thymelaea passerina​

Squarrose knapweed

Squarrose knapweed (PDF, 113KB) 
Centaurea virgata ssp. squarrosa


Syrian bean-caper

Syrian bean-caper
Zygophyllum fabago​

Texas Blueweed

Texas Blueweed
Helianthus ciliaris​

Water soldier

Water soldier
Stratiotes aloides​


Yellow starthistle (PDF, 134KB) 
Centaurea solstitialis

 

 


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

Black henbane (PDF, 950KB) 
Hyoscyamus niger

Dyer's woad
Isatis tinctoria​


Eggleaf spurge

Eggleaf spurge (PDF, 2MB)
Euphorbia oblongata

European common reed  (PDF, 558KB)  
Phragmites australis​

Flowering rush (PDF, 508KB)  
Butomus umbellatus


 

 

 

 

 

French Broom
Genista monspessulana

Giant reed
Arundo​ donax 

Goatsrue

Goatsrue (PDF, 1MB)
Galega officinalis


Invasive cordgrasses
Spartina spp.​

Jointed goatgrass

Jointed goatgrass (PDF, 356KB) 
Aegilops cylindrica

Maltese star thistle
Centaurea melitensis​


Mouse ear hawkweed (PDF, 530KB) 
Hieracium pilosella​

Perennial pepperweed (PDF, 592KB) 
Lepidium latifolium


Slender False brome (PDF, 1MB) 
Brachypodium sylvaticum subsp. sylvaticum​

Water hyacinth
Eichhornia crassipes

Water lettuce
Pistia stratiotes


Yellow floating heart (PDF, 835KB)
Nymphoides peltata​

 

 


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

Japanese butterbur
Petasites japonica


North Africa grass (PDF, 525KB) 
Ventenata dubia​

Poison hemlock (PDF, 550KB) 
Conium maculatum

Shiny geranium (PDF, 1.9MB)
Geranium lucidum


Teasel (PDF, 665KB)
Dipsacus fullonum​

Wild Parsnip
Pastinaca sativa

 


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

Common fennel
Foeniculum vulgare


Common tansy (PDF, 150KB) 
Tanacetum vulgare

Field scabious (PDF, 137KB)   
Knautia arvensis

Garden yellow loosestrife

Garden yellow loosestrife
Lysimachia vulgaris


Gorse (PDF, 144KB)  
Ulex europaeus

Himalayan blackberry
Rubus armeniacus​

Himalayan knotweed (PDF, 165KB)
Persicaria wallichii​


Hoary alyssum (PDF, 133KB) 
Berteroa incana

Hoary cress (PDF, 160KB)
Cardaria draba

Knotweeds (Japanese, Giant and Bohemian) (PDF, 165KB)
Fallopia/Reynoutria and Polygonum spp.


Leafy spurge (PDF, 154KB)  
Euphorbia esula

Milk thistle

Milk thistle
Silybum marianum


Princess tree

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

Tamarisk/Salt cedar
Tamarix ramosissima

Tree of heaven

Tree of heaven
Ailanthus altissima


Whiplash hawkweed
Hieracium flagellare​

White-flowered broom

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

Black locust
Robinia pseudoacacia

Bur chervil
Anthriscus caucalis​

Carpet burweed
Soliva sessilis

Clary sage

Clary sage
Salvia sclarea

Cypress spurge
Euphorbia cyparissias​

Diffuse Knapweed

Diffuse knapweed
Centaurea diffusa


English Holly

English holly
Ilex aquifolium

English Ivy

English ivy
Hedera helix

Eurasian water milfoil (PDF, 288 KB)
Myriophyllum spicatum​


Invasive yellow hawkweeds
Hieracium spp.

Longspine Sandbur
Cenchrus longispinus

Meadow Clary

Meadow Clary (PDF, 526KB) 
Salvia pratensis​


Mountain bluet
Centaurea montana​

Orange hawkweed (PDF, 166KB) 
Hieracium aurantiacum​

Russian olive

Russian olive
Elaeagnus angustifolia


Scentless chamomile (PDF, 139KB) 
Tripleurospermum inodorum​

Scotch thistle (PDF, 152KB)  
Onopordum acanthium

Siberian Elm

Siberian elm
Ulmus pumila


Spurge laurel/Daphne 
Daphne laureola

Sweet fennel
Foeniculum vulgare​


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.