Click below to view the Connecticut Invasive Plant List. The list includes Invasive and Potentially Invasive Plants as determined by the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes §22a-381a through §22a-381d. The list was most recently re-printed in October 2018.

2018 CT Invasive Plant List SORTED BY SCIENTIFIC NAME (PDF)  

2018 CT Invasive Plant List SORTED BY COMMON NAME (PDF)

(P) indicates Potentially Invasive (all others are considered Invasive in Connecticut)

“Prohibited by Statute?” column indicates prohibited status: Yes=prohibited from importation, movement, sale, purchase, transplanting, cultivation and distribution under CT General Statutes §22a-381d; N/A=not prohibited

Additional control information on these plants and other invasive plants is available here.

SPECIES (SCIENTIFIC NAME)	SPECIES(COMMON NAME)	GROWTH FORM OR HABIT	PROHIBITED BY STATUTE?	FACTSHEETS*	PHOTOS	GO BOTANY LINK	ID SHEETS
Acer ginnala	Amur maple (P)	Tree	N/A	PA DCNR USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Acer platanoides	Norway maple	Tree	N/A	UMD	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Acer pseudoplatanus	Sycamore maple (P)	Tree	Yes	Morton Arb MSU	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Aegopodium podagraria	Goutweed/Bishops Weed	Herbaceous	Yes	Invasive.org FS	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Ailanthus altissima	Tree of heaven	Tree	Yes	UConn IPM PSU Ext FS	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Alliaria petiolata	Garlic mustard	Herbaceous	Yes	UConn IPM Maine TNC UNH MSU	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Amorpha fruticosa	False indigo (P)	Shrub	Yes	Invasive Plant  Atlas USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata	Porcelainberry	Woody Vine	N/A		Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Artemisia vulgaris	Mugwort	Herbaceous	N/A	UConn/CIPWG UConn IPM NYIS	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Arthraxon hispidus	Hairy jointgrass (P)	Grass or Grass-like	Yes	Invasive.org	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Bassia scoparia	Common kochia (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Berberis thunbergii	Japanese barberry	Shrub	N/A	UConn IPM DEEP Maine PA DCNR Mich State	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1;  NRCS-2
Berberis vulgaris	Common barberry	Shrub	Yes	MDA State UMN EXT	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Bromus tectorum	Drooping brome-grass (P)	Grass or Grass-like	Yes	NRCS PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Butomus umbellatus	Flowering rush (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES NRCS Montana Invasive Plant Atlas	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Cabomba caroliniana	Fanwort	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES Maine PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Callitriche stagnalis	Pond water-starwort (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES MSU	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Cardamine impatiens	Narrowleaf bittercress	Herbaceous	Yes	PA DCNR UMN EXT	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Carex kobomugi	Japanese sedge (P)	Grass or Grass-like	Yes	PCA	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Celastrus orbiculatus	Asiatic bittersweet	Woody Vine	Yes	UConn IPM PSU Mich State NRCS	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Centaurea stoebe	Spotted knapweed	Herbaceous	Yes	USDA PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Cirsium arvense	Canada thistle (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Cynanchum louiseae	Black swallow-wort	Herbaceous	Yes	UConn IPM UMN PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Cynanchum rossicum	Pale swallow-wort	Herbaceous	Yes	UConn IPM PA DCNR USFS FS flyer	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Datura stramonium	Jimsonweed (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	USU EXT	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Egeria densa	Brazilian water-weed (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES Maine PA DCNR RI DEM	Invasive.org Photos	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Eichhornia crassipes	Common water-hyacinth (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	N/A	CAES RI DEM UF	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Elaeagnus angustifolia	Russian olive (P)	Shrub	Yes	Maine PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Elaeagnus umbellata	Autumn olive	Shrub	Yes	UConn IPM CIPWG Maine PA DCNR Mich State WVU EXT	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Elsholtzia ciliata	Crested late-summer mint (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Euonymus alatus	Winged euonymus	Shrub	N/A	UConn IPM NRCS PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Euphorbia cyparissias	Cypress spurge (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Euphorbia esula	Leafy spurge	Herbaceous	Yes	USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Frangula alnus	Glossy Buckthorn	Shrub	N/A	DEEP Maine NRCS PA DCNR Mich State	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Froelichia gracilis	Slender snake cotton	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Glechoma hederacea	Ground ivy (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Glyceria maxima	Reed mannagrass (P)	Grass or Grass-like	Yes	USGS EDD Maps	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Heracleum mantegazzianum	Giant hogweed (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	CIPWG PA DCNR	Invasive.org Photos	Go Botany
Hesperis matronalis	Dame’s rocket	Herbaceous	Yes	OSU	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Humulus japonicus	Japanese hops (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Hydrilla verticillata	Hydrilla	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES Maine NRCS	Invasive.org Photos	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Impatiens glandulifera	Ornamental jewelweed (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	EDD Maps WA NWCB USGS	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Iris pseudacorus	Yellow iris	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES CIPWG USDA PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Lepidium latifolium	Perennial pepperweed	Herbaceous	Yes	EDD Maps WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Ligustrum obtusifolium	Border privet (P)	Shrub	Yes	PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Ligustrum ovalifolium	California privet (P)	Shrub	N/A	EDD Maps	Invasive.org		NRCS-2
Ligustrum vulgare	European privet (P)	Shrub	N/A	PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Lonicera japonica	Japanese honeysuckle	Woody Vine	Yes	UConn IPM DEEP Maine PA DCNR USFS	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Lonicera maackii	Amur honeysuckle	Shrub	Yes	PA DCNR TNC	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Lonicera morrowii	Morrow’s honeysuckle	Shrub	Yes	Maine NRCS PA DCNR TNC	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Lonicera tatarica	Tatarian honeysuckle (P)	Shrub	Yes	Maine NRCS PA DCNR TNC	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Lonicera x bella	Belle honeysuckle	Shrub	Yes	Maine PA DCNR TNC Wisconsin	Invasive.org		NRCS-2
Lonicera xylosteum	Dwarf honeysuckle (P)	Shrub	Yes	TNC	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Lychnis flos-cuculi	Ragged robin (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Lysimachia nummularia	Moneywort (P)	Herbaceous	N/A	PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Lysimachia vulgaris	Garden loosestrife (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE UC-Davis WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Lythrum salicaria	Purple loosestrife	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	UConn CAES Maine NRCS PA DCNR TNC	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Marsilea quadrifolia	European waterclover (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Microstegium vimineum	Japanese stiltgrass	Grass or Grass-like	Yes	UConn IPM Maine PA DCNR TNC	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Miscanthus sinensis	Eulalia (P)	Grass or Grass-like	N/A	IPANE PA DCNR USFS	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Myosotis scorpioides	Forget-me-not	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Myriophyllum aquaticum	Parrotfeather (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES PA DCNR RI DEM WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Myriophyllum heterophyllum	Variable-leaf watermilfoil	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES RI DEM WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Myriophyllum spicatum	Eurasian watermilfoil	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES Maine USDA PA DCNR WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Najas minor	Brittle water-nymph (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Nasturtium microphyllum	Onerow yellowcress (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES MSU EDD Maps	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Nasturtium officinale	Watercress (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES FWS	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Nelumbo lutea	American water lotus (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Nymphoides peltata	Yellow floating heart (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES IPANE RI DEM WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Onopordum acanthium	Scotch thistle (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Ornithogalum umbellatum	Star-of-Bethlehem (P)	Herbaceous	N/A	IPANE PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Paulownia tomentosa	Princess tree (P)	Tree	Yes	PA DCNR FS	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Phalaris arundinacea	Reed canary grass	Grass or Grass-like	N/A	DNR MN PA DCNR WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Phragmites australis	Common reed	Grass or Grass-like	Yes	UConn IPM PA DCNR  TNC   WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Pistia stratiotes	Water lettuce (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	N/A	CAES IPANE	Invasive.org
Poa compressa	Canada bluegrass (P)	Grass or Grass-like	Yes	IPANE USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Polygonum caespitosum	Bristled knotweed	Herbaceous	Yes		Invasive.org
Polygonum cuspidatum	Japanese knotweed	Herbaceous	Yes	DEEP NRCS PA DCNR TNC Mich State	Invasive.org		NRCS-2
Polygonum perfoliatum	Mile-a-minute vine	Herbaceous	Yes	UConn IPM UConn MAM Maine	Invasive.org Photos	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Polygonum sachalinense	Giant knotweed (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	PA DCNR WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Populus alba	White poplar (P)	Tree	Yes	MAINE	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Potamogeton crispus	Curly-leafed pondweed	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES PSU EXT PA DCNR WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Pueraria montana	Kudzu (P)	Woody Vine	Yes	PA DCNR WA NWCB	Invasive.org Photos	Go Botany	NRCS-2
Ranunculus ficaria	Fig buttercup	Herbaceous	Yes	PCA	Invasive.org		NRCS-2
Rhamnus cathartica	Common buckthorn	Shrub	Yes	Maine NRCS PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Robinia pseudoacacia	Black locust	Tree	N/A	NRCS	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1
Rosa multiflora	Multiflora rose	Shrub	Yes	UConn IPM DEEP  Maine  NRCS  PA DCNR   TNC	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1 NRCS-2
Rosa rugosa	Rugosa rose (P)	Shrub	N/A	USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Rubus phoenicolasius	Wineberry	Shrub	Yes	PA DCNR	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Rumex acetosella	Sheep sorrel (P)	Herbaceous	Yes		Invasive.org	Go Botany
Salvinia molesta	Giant salvinia (P)	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES EDD Maps CABI	Invasive.org
Senecio jacobaea	Tansy ragwort (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	EDD Maps WA NWCB EDD Maps	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Silphium perfoliatum	Cup plant (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	USDA	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Solanum dulcamara	Bittersweet nightshade (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Trapa natans	Water chestnut	Aquatic & Wetland	Yes	CAES Maine PA DCNR RI DEM	Invasive.org	Go Botany	NRCS-1; NRCS-2
Tussilago farfara	Coltsfoot	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE USFS WA NWCB	Invasive.org	Go Botany
Valeriana officinalis	Garden heliotrope (P)	Herbaceous	Yes	IPANE	Invasive.org	Go Botany

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*CAES = Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station; CIPWG = Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group; DEEP = Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; EDD Maps = Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System; IPANE = Invasive Plant Atlas of New England; Maine = University of Maine Cooperative Extension; MIPN = Midwest Invasive Plant Network; Montana = Montana State University Extension; NRCS = Natural Resource Conservation; PCA = Plant Conservation Alliance, National Park Service; PA DCNR = Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; RI DEM = Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management; TNC = The Nature Conservancy; UC-Davis = University of California-Davis, Cooperative Extension & Agricultural Experiment Station; UConn = University of Connecticut; USFS = US Forest Service, United States Department of Agriculture; UF = University of Fla Extension; UNH = University of New Hampshire Extension; USDA = United States Department of Agriculture; WA NWCB = Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board