Invasives Update
Updates from the UF/IFAS Assessment
The UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas uses risk assessment tools to predict the invasion risk of non-native plants, which are species that did not evolve in Florida. These plants below are now listed as high risk of invasion, meaning they are not yet considered established in Florida, but are predicted to become invasive. As a result, they’re not recommended for Florida gardening for risk of spreading and impacting native plants and local ecosystems.
Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
Norway maple (Acer platanoides) is a tall deciduous tree reaching 40 to 50 feet with star-shaped green leaves that turn yellow in the fall. This fast-growing tree originated in Europe and sports drooping branches and elongated, dry fruits 1 to 3 inches long. Known to be fire-resistant, this species outcompetes native species and suppresses understory species diversity.
Crown Flower (Calotropis gigantea)
Crown flower (Calotropis gigantea), also called giant milkweed, shallow wort, madar, and ivory plant, is a large shrub up to 15 feet tall and wide. This hardy plant originated in Asia and has purple or white sturdy, crown-shaped flowers. It is considered toxic to animals and people and has the potential to invade disturbed and degraded areas.
Hedge Bindweed (Calystegia sepium)
Hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) is also called rutland beauty, bugie vine, heavenly trumpets, granny-pop-out-of-bed, and great bindweed. It is a perennial, herbaceous weedy vine or wildflower that originated in Africa, Asia, and Europe. This plant twines around other objects and plants and produces chemicals that hinder the growth of other plants around it.
Old Man’s Beard (Clematis vitalba)
Old man’s beard (Clematis vitalba), also known as traveler’s joy and evergreen clematis, is a rapidly growing woody vine originating from Africa and Europe. It blooms white clustered flowers in the summer and can grow up to 100 feet long, blanketing over other vegetation.
Pagoda Flower (Clerodendrum paniculatum)
Originating from Asia, pagoda flower (Clerodendrum paniculatum) is a shrub in the mint family that grows 6 feet or taller. Its flowers grow in pyramid-shaped clusters and the leaves have five pointed lobes. This plant has caused significant impacts to the environment in Pacific islands by displacing native species and forming dense thickets.
Anchored Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia azurea)
Anchored water hyacinth (Eichhornia azurea) originated in Central and South America and was introduced to the U.S. via the ornamental aquatic plant garden trade. It has thick green waxy leaves and showy purple flowers above the water surface. It can form dense impenetrable mats which clog waterways and can reduce biodiversity by crowding out native plants.
Photo by Shaun Winterton, Aquarium and Pond Plants of the World, Edition 3, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org.
Common Mallow (Malva sylvestris)
Common mallow (Malva sylvestris), also known as cheeses, high mallow, tall mallow, and mauve des bois, is a herbaceous plant that originated in Africa, Asia, and Europe. It sports rose-purple blooms with dark stripes and typically grows 2 to 4 feet tall. As the petals drop, a small, rounded disc-shaped fruit develops that resembles a cheese wheel. Able to self-seed, it is known to have escaped gardens and become naturalized in disturbed areas.
Myosotis scorpioides
Originating from Asia and Europe, Myosotis scorpioides is an herbaceous perennial that typically reaches 10 inches high. It has sky-blue flowers and short, pointed evergreen leaves. The plant spreads via creeping underground rhizomes that enables it to form dense colonies and sometimes floating rafts. These floating rafts can then choke out other species and clog bodies of water.
Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster)
Maritime pine, or cluster pine (Pinus pinaster), is an evergreen pine tree that originated in Europe. It can grow up to 100 feet tall with long spreading green needles and seed cones 4 to 8 inches long. Older trees tend to have branches condensed to the top one third of the tree. This plant is known to increase fire risk of an area and is a prolific seed producer.
Native Alternatives on Gardening Solutions
- Blue-eyed Grass (instead of Myosotis scorpioides)
- Florida Maple
- Florida’s Native Pines
- Fringetree (instead of Clematis vitalba)
- Invasives Awareness
- Moonflower (instead of Calystegia sepium)
- Native Milkweed
- Phlox (instead of Malva sylvestris)
- Pickerel Weed (instead of Eichhornia azurea)
More from UF/IFAS
- Acer platanoides: Norway Maple
- Eichhornia azurea, Rooted Water Hyacinth–Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants
- Pagoda Flower, Clerodendrum paniculatum–Florida Museum
- The UF/IFAS Assessment of Nonnative Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas: History, Purpose, and Use