Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council's
2005
List of Invasive Species
Purpose of the List: To focus attention on --
Ø the adverse effects exotic pest plants have on Florida's biodiversity and plant communities,
Ø the habitat losses from exotic pest plant infestations,
Ø the impacts on endangered species via habitat loss and alteration,
Ø the need to prevent habitat losses through pest-plant management,
Ø the socio-economic impacts of these plants (e.g., increased wildfires in certain areas),
Ø changes in the seriousness of different pest plants over time,
Ø the need to provide information that helps managers set priorities for control programs.
DEFINITIONS: Exotic—a
species introduced to Florida, purposefully or accidentally, from a natural
range outside of Florida. Native—a species whose natural range included
Florida at the time of European contact (1500 AD). Naturalized exotic—an
exotic that sustains itself outside cultivation (it is still exotic; it has not
"become" native). Invasive exotic—an exotic that not only has
naturalized but is expanding on its own in Florida plant communities.
Abbreviations used:
for "Gov. list": P = Prohibited by Fla. Dept. of Environmental Protection, N = Noxious weed listed by Fla. Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services, U = Noxious weed listed by U.S. Department of Agriculture.
for "Reg. Dis.": N = north, C = central, S = south, referring to each species' current distribution in general regions of Florida (not its potential range in the state). See following map.
For additional information on distributions of particular species by county, visit the University of South Florida’s Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants web site, www.plantatlas.usf.edu. Many of those species entries also have habit and close-up pictures of the species.
Additional images for some species may be found at the “Introduced Species” page on the Univ. of Florida Herbarium website, at Fairchild Tropical Garden’s Virtual Herbarium, and the Godfrey Herbarium database, Florida State University.
For other additional information on plants included in this list, see related links and pages at this web site on the home page menu.
Category I - Invasive exotics that are altering native plant communities by displacing native species, changing community structures or ecological functions, or hybridizing with natives. This definition does not rely on the economic severity or geographic range of the problem, but on the documented ecological damage caused.
Scientific Name |
Common Name |
EPPC Cat. |
Gov. list |
Reg. Dist. |
rosary pea |
I |
|
C, S |
|
earleaf acacia |
I |
|
S |
|
mimosa, silk tree |
I |
|
N, C |
|
woman's tongue |
I |
|
C, S |
|
Ardisia crenata (= A. crenulata ) |
coral ardisia |
I |
|
N, C |
Ardisia elliptica (=A. humilis) |
shoebutton ardisia |
I |
|
S |
Asparagus aethiopicus (= A. sprengeri; A. densiflorus misapplied) |
asparagus-fern |
I |
|
C, S |
orchid tree |
I |
|
C, S |
|
bischofia |
I |
|
C, S |
|
(=C. calaba; C. inophyllum misapplied) |
santa maria (names "mast wood," "Alexandrian laurel" used in cultivation) |
I |
|
S |
Australian pine |
I |
P |
N,C,S |
|
suckering Australian pine |
I |
P |
C, S |
|
camphor-tree |
I |
|
N,C,S |
|
wild taro |
I |
|
N,C,S |
|
lather leaf |
I |
|
S |
|
carrotwood |
I |
N |
C, S |
|
winged yam |
I |
N |
N,C,S |
|
air-potato |
I |
N |
N,C,S |
|
water-hyacinth |
I |
P |
N,C,S |
|
Surinam cherry |
I |
|
C, S |
|
Ficus microcarpa (F. nitida and F. retusa var. nitida misapplied) |
laurel fig |
I |
|
C, S |
hydrilla |
I |
P, U |
N,C,S |
|
green hygro |
I |
P, U |
N,C,S |
|
West Indian marsh grass |
I |
|
C, S |
|
brasiliensis misapplied) |
cogon grass |
I |
N, U |
N, C, S |
waterspinach |
I |
P, U |
C |
|
Gold Coast jasmine |
I |
|
C, S |
|
Brazilian jasmine |
I |
|
C, S |
|
lantana, shrub verbena |
I |
|
N,C,S |
|
glossy privet |
I |
|
N, C |
|
Chinese privet, hedge privet |
I |
|
N,C,S |
|
Japanese honeysuckle |
I |
|
N,C,S |
|
Japanese climbing fern |
I |
N |
N,C, S |
|
Old World climbing fern |
I |
N |
C, S |
|
cat's claw vine |
I |
|
N,C, S |
|
sapodilla |
I |
|
S |
|
melaleuca, paper bark |
I |
P, N, U |
C, S |
|
catclaw mimosa |
I |
P, N, U |
C, S |
|
nandina, heavenly bamboo |
I |
|
N, C |
|
sword fern |
I |
|
N,C,S |
|
Asian sword fern |
I |
|
C, S |
|
Burma reed, cane grass |
I |
N |
S |
|
sewer vine, onion vine |
I |
N |
S |
|
skunk vine |
I |
N |
N,C |
|
torpedo grass |
I |
|
N,C,S |
|
Napier grass |
I |
|
C, S |
|
waterlettuce |
I |
P |
N,C,S |
|
(=P. littorale) |
strawberry guava |
I |
|
C, S |
guava |
I |
|
C, S |
|
Pueraria montana var. lobata (=P. lobata) |
kudzu |
I |
N, U |
N,C, S |
downy rose-myrtle |
I |
N |
C, S |
|
Rhoeo spathacea (see Tradescantia spathacea) |
|
|
|
|
Natal grass |
I |
|
N, C, S |
|
R. brittoniana) |
Mexican petunia |
I |
|
N, C, S |
Sapium sebiferum (= Triadeca sebifera) |
popcorn tree, Chinese tallow tree |
I |
N |
N, C, S |
(=Scaevola sericea, S. frutescens) |
scaevola, half-flower, beach naupaka |
I |
|
C, S |
Schefflera actinophylla (=Brassaia actinophylla) |
schefflera, Queensland umbrella tree |
I |
|
C, S |
Brazilian pepper |
I |
P, N |
N, C, S |
|
Senna pendula var. glabrata (=Cassia coluteoides) |
climbing cassia, Christmas cassia, Christmas senna |
I |
|
C, S |
(=S. houstonii) |
wetland night shade, aquatic soda apple |
I |
N, U |
C, S |
tropical soda apple |
I |
N, U |
N, C, S |
|
arrowhead vine |
I |
|
C, S |
|
jambolan, Java plum |
I |
|
C, S |
|
incised halberd fern |
I |
|
S |
|
seaside mahoe |
I |
|
C, S |
|
white-flowered wandering jew |
I |
|
N, C |
|
(= Rhoeo spathacea, Rhoeo discolor) |
oyster plant |
I |
|
S |
Urochloa mutica ( = Brachiaria mutica) |
Pará grass |
I |
|
C, S |
Category II - Invasive exotics that have increased in abundance or frequency but have not yet altered Florida plant communities to the extent shown by Category I species. These species may become ranked Category I, if ecological damage is demonstrated.
Scientific Name |
Common Name |
EPPC Cat. |
Gov. list |
Reg. Dist. |
|
red sandalwood |
II |
|
S |
||
Agave sisalana |
sisal hemp |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Aleurites fordii (= Vernicia fordii) |
tung oil tree |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Alstonia macrophylla |
devil-tree |
II |
|
S |
|
Alternanthera philoxeroides |
alligator weed |
II |
P |
N, C, S |
|
Antigonon leptopus |
coral vine |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Aristolochia littoralis |
calico flower |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Asystasia gangetica |
Ganges primrose |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Begonia cucullata |
wax begonia |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Blechum pyramidatum |
green shrimp plant, Browne’s blechum |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Broussonetia papyrifera |
paper mulberry |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Callisia fragrans |
inch plant, spironema |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Casuarina cunninghamiana |
Australian pine |
II |
P |
C, S |
|
Cecropia palmata |
trumpet tree |
II |
|
S |
|
day jessamine |
II |
|
C, S |
||
Chamaedorea seifrizii |
bamboo palm |
II |
|
S |
|
Clematis terniflora |
Japanese clematis |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Cryptostegia madagascariensis |
rubber vine |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Cyperus involucratus (C. alternifolius misapplied) |
umbrella plant |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Cyperus prolifer |
dwarf papyrus |
II |
|
C |
|
Dalbergia sissoo |
Indian rosewood, sissoo |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Elaeagnus pungens |
thorny eleagnus |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Epipremnum pinnatum cv. Aureum |
pothos |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Ficus altissima |
false banyan, council tree |
II |
|
S |
|
Flacourtia indica |
governor's plum |
II |
|
S |
|
Hemarthria altissima |
limpo grass |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Hibiscus tiliaceus |
mahoe, sea hibiscus |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Ipomoea fistulosa (= I. carnea ssp. fistulosa) |
shrub morning-glory |
II |
P |
C, S |
|
Jasminum sambac |
Arabian jasmine |
II |
|
S |
|
Kalanchoe pinnata |
life plant |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Koelreuteria elegans ssp. formosana (= K. formosana; K. paniculata misapplied) |
flamegold tree |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Leucaena leucocephala |
lead tree |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Limnophila sessiliflora |
Asian marshweed |
II |
P |
N, C, S |
|
Livistona chinensis |
Chinese fan palm |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Chinaberry |
II |
|
N,C,S |
||
Merremia tuberosa |
wood-rose |
II |
|
S |
|
Murraya paniculata |
orange-jessamine |
II |
|
S |
|
Myriophyllum spicatum |
Eurasian water-milfoil |
II |
P |
N, C, S |
|
Nymphoides cristata |
snowflake |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Panicum maximum |
Guinea grass |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Passiflora biflora |
two-flowered passion vine |
II |
|
S |
|
Pennisetum setaceum |
green fountain grass |
II |
|
S |
|
Phoenix reclinata |
Senegal date palm |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Pittosporum pentandrum |
Philippine pittosporum, Taiwanese cheesewood |
II |
|
S |
|
Phyllostachys aurea |
golden bamboo |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Pteris vittata |
Chinese brake fern |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Ptychosperma elegans |
solitary palm |
II |
|
S |
|
Ricinus communis |
castor bean |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Sansevieria hyacinthoides |
bowstring hemp |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Scleria lacustris |
Wright’s nutrush |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Sesbania punicea |
purple sesban, rattlebox |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Solanum diphyllum |
Two-leaf nightshade |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Solanum jamaicense |
Jamiaca nightshade |
II |
|
C |
|
susumber, turkey berry |
II |
N, U |
N, C, S |
||
Sphagneticola trilobata (= Wedelia trilobata) |
wedelia |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Stachytarpheta urticifolia (= S. cayennensis) |
nettle-leaf porterweed |
II |
|
S |
|
Syagrus romanzoffiana (= Arecastrum romanzoffianum) |
queen palm |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Syzygium jambos |
rose-apple |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Terminalia catappa |
tropical almond |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Terminalia muelleri |
Australian almond |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Tribulus cistoides |
puncture vine, burr-nut |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Urena lobata |
Caesar's weed |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Vitex trifolia |
simple-leaf chaste tree |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Washingtonia robusta |
Washington fan palm |
II |
|
C, S |
|
Wedelia (see Sphagneticola above) |
|
|
|
|
|
Wisteria sinensis |
Chinese wisteria |
II |
|
N, C |
|
Xanthosoma sagittifolium |
malanga, elephant ear |
II |
|
N, C, S |
|
Citation example:
FLEPPC. 2005. List of Florida's Invasive Species. Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. Internet: http://www.fleppc.org/list/05list.htm
The 2005 list was prepared by the FLEPPC Plant List Committee:
Keith A. Bradley
The Institute for Regional Conservation
22601 S.W. 152nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33170
Kathy Craddock Burks (CHAIR)
Florida Natural Areas Inventory
Florida State University
1018 Thomasville Rd., Suite 200-C
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Nancy Craft Coile, Botanist Emerita
Division of Plant Industry
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
22804 N.W. County Road 2054
Alachua, FL 32615
Janice Duquesnel
Florida Park Service
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 1052
Islamorada, FL 33036
Edward Freeman
The Nature Conservancy
1413 Boulevard of the Arts
Sarasota, FL 34236
David W. Hall
Private Consulting Botanist
3666 N.W. 13th Place
Gainesville, FL 32605
Roger L. Hammer
Miami-Dade Parks Department
Castellow Hammock Nature Center
22301 S.W. 162nd Ave.
Miami, FL 33030
Kenneth A. Langeland
Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants, IFAS
University of Florida
7922 N.W. 71st St.
Gainesville, FL 32606
Robert W. Pemberton
Invasive Plants Research Lab
U.S. Department of Agriculture
3225 College Ave.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33312
Daniel B. Ward
Department of Botany
University of Florida
220 Bartram Hall
Gainesville, FL 326ll
Richard P. Wunderlin
Institute for Systematic Botany
Department of Biological Sciences
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL 33620