Amendments to the Official Invasive Plant list

The Invasive Plant Advisory Committee (IPAC) to the Indiana Invasive Species Council (IISC) has recently finalized assessments for 20 terrestrial plant species. Several of these assessed species received an updated rank based on new research and data. Please refer to the table below that shows the recently assessed species listed alphabetically by Latin name and their rank.

Several of these recently reviewed species, such as burning bush which was previously ranked Medium, were already on the state’s official invasive plant list. However, others are new to the list including mimosa, moneywort, beefsteak plant and Ravenna grass.

Based on new information and infestation data collected from citizens and professionals, we ranked the following species High: sweet autumn clematis, burning bush, lesser celandine, moneywort, Chinese maiden grass, wild parsnip, spreading hedge parsley, Japanese hedge parsley and highbush cranberry.

The IISC adopted the revised lists in December 2019 and these 20 species and their ranks are now added to the state’s Official IISC Invasive Plant List.

Please note that the Official State Invasive Plant List is not the same as the Terrestrial Plant Rule (TPR). The plants ranked high on the Official IISC Invasive Plant List were used to populate the list of plants for the TPR which was signed in April 2019, and as many of you know, became enforceable in April 2020 after a 12-month grace period. For more info on the rule, check out the IPAC Terrestrial Plant Rule Fact Sheet.

Species that are now ranked High on the revised state’s Official Plant List will be evaluated for potential inclusion on a future amended Terrestrial Plant Rule. At this time, no dates have been set to begin the process of amending the rule.

Please email if you have any questions. It can be confusing but knowing that we have to have data (the official plant list) to create a rule is helpful.

Thank you,

Dawn - dawn.slack@tnc.org

Mimosa

Albizia julibrissin, (also known as Silk Tree) is one of the species that was recently added to the IISC Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org

Moneywort

Lysimachia nummularia, (also knows as Creeping Jenny) is one of the species that was recently added to the IISC Official Invasive Plant List and ASLO assessed as a High rank invasive. Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Beefsteak Plant

Perilla frutescens, is one of the species that was recently added to the IISC Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Mary Welz, SICIM.

Ravenna Grass

Saccharum ravennae, is one of the species that was recently added to the IISC Official Invasive Plant List. Photo courtesy of The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.org

Sweet Autumn Clematis

Clematis terniflora, (also known as Sweet Autumn Virginsbower) is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Mary Welz, SICIM.

Winged Burning Bush

Euonymus alatus, is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Angie Miller, Tippecanoe SWCD.

Lesser Celandine

Ficaria verna, is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Mary Welz, SICIM.

Chinese Maiden Grass

Miscanthus sinensis, is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by John Ruter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

Wild Parsnip

Pastinaca sativa, is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Mary Welz, SICIM.

Spreading Hedge Parsley

Torilis arvensis, is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Joseph M. DiTomaso, University of California - Davis, Bugwood.org.

Japanese Hedge Parsley

Torilis japonica, is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Dan Tenaglia, Missouriplants.com, Bugwood.org.

Highbush Cranberry

Viburnum opulus v. opulus, is one of the species recently assessed as a High rank invasive species on the Official Invasive Plant List. Photo by Richard Webb, Bugwood.org.