Priority Species
Non-Native Plant Species Invasiveness Assessment
In 2008, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in New York and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden (BBG) developed a system and protocol designed to assess the invasive nature of non-native plant species. The New York State Invasive Species Council, in consultation with the Invasive Species Advisory Committee, adopted the ranking system for use statewide. In addition, results of this work have informed invasive species legislation in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Consequences to the native species and natural ecosystems of New York are the focus of the ranking system. The ranking system is designed to be repeatable, based on the best available science, clearly explained, and fully documented. The system can be used to assess non-native plant species that are established in New York State, species that are new arrivals, as well as species that are not yet present. Additional information about the system can be found in "New York State Plant Ranking System for Evaluating Non-Native Plant Species for Invasiveness".
Species are assessed at a statewide level using the New York State assessment form. Questions are organized into four broad categories:
- ecological impact
- biological characteristic and dispersal ability
- ecological amplitude and distribution
- difficulty of control
In order to better inform local efforts, species can be further assessed using the Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) form.
The Brooklyn Botanic Garden plans to assess a total of 180 species in 2008-2009. Species assessments are reviewed, edited, and approved by a committee of stakeholders designated as the Scientific Review Committee (SRC). Voting members of the SRC include scientists, nursery professionals, Cornell Cooperative Extension and land managers at the County, State and Federal levels. A supplemental review is conducted by qualified specialists throughout the State prior to submission to the Advisory Committee and Council for final approval. As assessment forms are completed and approved, they will be posted on this website.
New York State Species Assessments
| Scientific Name | Common Name | NYS Profile |
|---|---|---|
Acer ginnala |
Amur maple | NYS PDF |
Acer palmatum Thunb. |
Japanese maple | NYS PDF |
Acer platanoides |
Norway maple | NYS PDF |
Acer pseudoplatanus |
Sycamore maple | NYS PDF |
Achyranthes japonica (Miq.) Nakai (syn. Achyranthes bidentata var. japonica Miq.) |
Japanese Chaff Flower | NYS PDF |
Aegopodium podagraria |
Bishop's goutweed | NYS PDF |
Agrostis gigantea Roth (Agrostis alba auct. non L.; Agrostis gigantea Roth var. dispar (Michx.) Philipson; Agrostis nigra With.; Agrostis stolonifera L. ssp. gigantea (Roth) Schuebl. & Martens; Agrostis stolonifera L. var. major (Gaudin) Farw.) |
Redtop, black bentgrass | NYS PDF |
Ailanthus altissima (Miller) Swingle |
Tree of heaven | NYS PDF |
Akebia quinata |
Chocolate vine | NYS PDF |
Albizia julibrissin Durazz. |
Silktree, mimosa | NYS PDF |
Alliaria petiolata |
Garlic mustard | NYS PDF |
Alnus glutinosa |
European alder, black alder | NYS PDF |
Amelopsis brevipedunculata |
Porcelain berry | NYS PDF |
Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoffm. |
Wild chervil | NYS PDF |
Aralia elata |
Japanese angelica tree | NYS PDF |
Artemesia vulgaris L. |
Common wormwood | NYS PDF |
Arthraxon hispidus |
Small carpgrass | NYS PDF |
Arundinaria gigantea (Walter) Muhl. (including ssp. giantea and ssp. tecta (Walter) McClure [=A. tecta (Walter) Muhl.]) |
Bamboo, canebreak, giant cane | NYS PDF |
Berberis thunbergii (incl. B. ottowensis) |
Japanese barberry | NYS PDF |
Berberis vulgaris |
Common barberry | NYS PDF |
Brachypodium sylvaticum (Huds.) P. Beauv. ssp. sylvaticum |
Slender falsebrome | NYS PDF |
Bromus tectorum L. |
Cheat grass, downy brome | NYS PDF |
Buddleja davidii Franch. |
Orange-eye butterfly bush | NYS PDF |
Butomus umbellatus L. |
flowering-rush | NYS PDF |
Cabomba caroliniana A. Gray, Ann |
Carolina fanwort | NYS PDF |
Callitriche stagnalis Scop. |
Pond water-starwort | NYS PDF |
Caragana arborescens Lam. |
Siberian peashrub | NYS PDF |
Cardamine impatiens L. |
Narrowleaf bittercress | NYS PDF |
Carex kobomugi/C. macrocephala |
Japanese sedge/largehead sedge | NYS PDF |
Caulerpa taxifolia |
Killer alga | NYS PDF |
Celastrus orbiculatus |
Oriental bittersweet | NYS PDF |
Centaurea jacea s.l. (including C. nigra, C. nigrescens, C. xmoncktonii) |
Black knapweed, black star-thistle, brown knapweed, brown ray knapweed, brown star-thistle, lesser knapweed, meadow knapweed, protean knapweed, short-fringed knapweed, short-fringed star-thistle, tyrol knapweed, vochin knapweed | NYS PDF |
Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos s.l. (including C. biebersteinii, C. diffusa, C. maculosa misapplied, C. xpsammogena) |
Spotted knapweed, spotted star-thistle | NYS PDF |
Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. (C. setosum, C. incanum, Carduus arvensis, Serratula arvensis & all varieties of C. arvense) |
Creeping thistle, Californian thistle, Canada thistle, field thistle | NYS PDF |
Cirsium palustre (L.) Scop (Carduus palustris) |
Marsh thistle, European swamp thistle | NYS PDF |
Clematis terniflora |
Japanese virgin's-bower | NYS PDF |
Coronilla varia (Securigera varia) |
Crownvetch | NYS PDF |
Cynanchum louiseae |
Black swallow-wort | NYS PDF |
Cynanchum rossicum |
European swallow-wort | NYS PDF |
Cyperus difformis L. |
Variable flatsedge | NYS PDF |
Datura stramonium L. |
Jimsonweed, common thorn apple, Jamestown weed, purple thorn apple | NYS PDF |
Digitalis lanata Ehrh. |
Grecian foxglove | NYS PDF |
Digitalis purpurea L |
Purple foxglove | NYS PDF |
Dioscorea polystachya (D. oppositifolia L. misapplied) |
Chinese yam, Cinnamon vine | NYS PDF |
Dipsacus laciniatus L. |
Cut-leaf teasel | NYS PDF |
Egeria densa Planchon |
Brazilian waterweed | NYS PDF |
Eichhornia crassipes |
Common water-hyacinth | NYS PDF |
Elaeagnus angustifolia |
Russian olive | NYS PDF |
Elaeagnus umbellata |
Autumn olive | NYS PDF |
Eleutherococcus pentaphyllus (Siebold & Zucc.) Nakai (Synonyms: Eleutherococcus seiboldianus (Makino) Koidzumi; |
Five-leaved Aralia | NYS PDF |
Epilobium hirsutum L. |
Great hairy willow-herb | NYS PDF |
Eragrostis curvula |
Weeping lovegrass | NYS PDF |
Euonymus alatus |
Winged burning bush | NYS PDF |
Euonymus europaeus L. |
European spindletree | NYS PDF |
Euonymus fortunei |
Winter creeper | NYS PDF |
Euphorbia cyparissias |
Cypress spurge | NYS PDF |
Euphorbia esula |
Leafy spurge | NYS PDF |
Euphorbia lathyris |
Caper spurge, moleplant | NYS PDF |
Fallopia baldschuanica |
Bukhara fleeceflower | NYS PDF |
Fallopia japonica (Hout.) Dcne. var. japonica, F. sachalinensis, F. xbohemica (Polygonum cuspidatum, P. sachalinense, P. xboehmicum) |
Japanese knotweed, giant knotweed | NYS PDF |
Festuca filiformis Pourret |
Hair fescue | NYS PDF |
Frangula alnus |
Glossy buckthorn | NYS PDF |
Froelichia gracilis (Hook.) Moq. |
Slender cottonweed | NYS PDF |
Galega officinalis |
Professor-weed, common milkpea, goat's-rue | NYS PDF |
Galium odoratum L. Scop. (Asperula odorata L.) |
Sweet bedstraw | NYS PDF |
Glaucium flavum |
Yellow hornpoppy | NYS PDF |
Glossostigma cleistanthum (previously reported as G. diandrum) |
Mudmats | NYS PDF |
Glyceria maxima (Hartm.) Holb. |
Tall glyceria, English watergrass, reed mannagrass | NYS PDF |
Hedera helix |
English ivy | NYS PDF |
Hemerocallis fulva |
Orange daylily | NYS PDF |
Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier |
Giant hogweed | NYS PDF |
Hesperis matronalis |
Dame’s rocket | NYS PDF |
Hordeum murinum L. ssp. leporinum (Link) Arcang. |
Leporinum barley; Hare barley | NYS PDF |
Humulus japonicus Sieb. & Zucc. |
Japanese hops | NYS PDF |
Hydrilla verticillata |
Waterthyme | NYS PDF |
Hydrocharis morsus-ranae L. |
Frogbit | NYS PDF |
Hypericum perforatum L. |
Common St. John's-wort | NYS PDF |
Ilex crenata Thunb. |
Japanese holly | NYS PDF |
Impatiens glandulifera |
Ornamental jewelweed | NYS PDF |
Imperata cylindrica (L.) P.Beauv. (all vars. except koenigii) |
Cogongrass, Cogon satin-tail | NYS PDF |
Iris pseudacorus |
Yellow iris | NYS PDF |
Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrad. (Bassia scoparia (L.) A.J.Scott). |
Mexican summer-cypress, burning bush | NYS PDF |
Lepidium latifolium L. |
Broadleaved Pepperweed | NYS PDF |
Lespedeza bicolor Turcz. |
Shrub lespedeza, bicolor lespdeza | NYS PDF |
Lespedeza cuneata |
Chinese bushclover | NYS PDF |
Ligustrum amurense |
Amur privet | NYS PDF |
Ligustrum obtusifolium |
Border privet | NYS PDF |
Ligustrum ovalifolium |
California privet | NYS PDF |
Ligustrum sinense |
Chinese privet | NYS PDF |
Ligustrum vulgare |
European privet | NYS PDF |
Lobelia chinensis Lour. |
Chinese lobelia | NYS PDF |
Lonicera japonica Thunberg |
Japanese Honeysuckle | NYS PDF |
Lonicera maackii (Rupr.) Maxim. |
Amur Honeysuckle | NYS PDF |
Lonicera morrowii LOMO2, L. tatarica LOTA, L. xbella LOBE |
Morrow's honeysuckle, Tartarian honeysuckle, Fly honeysuckle | NYS PDF |
Lonicera xylosteum |
European Fly Honeysuckle | NYS PDF |
Lotus corniculatus L. |
Bird's-foot trefoil | NYS PDF |
Ludwigia grandiflora (Michx.) Greuter & Burdet ssp. hexapetala (Hook. & Arn.) G.L. Nesom & Kartesz |
Uruguayan Primrose-willow | NYS PDF |
Ludwigia peploides (Kunth) Raven ssp. glabrescens (Kuntze) Raven |
Floating primrose-willow | NYS PDF |
Lysimachia clethroides Duby Planchon |
Goose-neck loosestrife | NYS PDF |
Lysimachia nummularia |
Creeping Jenny | NYS PDF |
Lysimachia punctata L. |
Spotted loosestrife | NYS PDF |
Lysimachia vulgaris |
Garden loosestrife, garden yellow loostrife | NYS PDF |
Lythrum salicaria L. |
Purple Loosestrife | NYS PDF |
Marsilea quadrifolia |
European water-fern | NYS PDF |
Microstegium vimineum |
Japanese stiltgrass, Eulalia, Nepalese browntop | NYS PDF |
Miscanthus sacchariflorus (Maxim.) Hack. |
Japanese Silver Grass | NYS PDF |
Miscanthus sinensis Anderss. |
Chinese silvergrass | NYS PDF |
Morus alba |
White mulberry | NYS PDF |
Murdannia keisak (Hassk.) Hand.-Maz. |
Marsh dewflower, wart-removing herb | NYS PDF |
Myosotis scorpioides L. |
True forget-me-not | NYS PDF |
Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vellozo) Verdcourt |
Parrot-feather | NYS PDF |
Myriophyllum heterophyllum Michx. (including M. heterophyllum X M. pinnatum) |
Broadleaf water-milfoil | NYS PDF |
Myriophyllum spicatum L. |
Eurasian water-milfoil | NYS PDF |
Najas minor All. |
Brittle water nymph | NYS PDF |
Nasturtium officinale R. Br. ex Ait. (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Linnaeus) Hayek, Sched. |
Watercress | NYS PDF |
Nelumbo nucifera |
Sacred lotus | NYS PDF |
Nymphoides peltata |
Yellow floating heart | NYS PDF |
Oplismenus hirtellus (L.) Beauv. subsp. undulatifolius (Ard.) U. Scholz |
Wavyleaf basketgrass, bristle basketgrass | NYS PDF |
Paulownia tomentosa |
Princess-tree | NYS PDF |
Persicaria longiseta (Bruijn) Kitagawa (Polygonum caespitosum var. longiseta) |
Creeping smartweed | NYS PDF |
Persicaria nepalensis (Meisn.) H. Gross (=Polygonum nepalense Meisn.) |
Nepal smartweed | NYS PDF |
Persicaria perfoliata |
Mile-a-minute weed, mile-a-minute vine | NYS PDF |
Phalaris arundinacea |
Reed canarygrass | NYS PDF |
Phellodendron amurense |
Amur corktree | NYS PDF |
Phleum pratense |
Timothy | NYS PDF |
Phragmites australis ssp. Australis |
Common reed | NYS PDF |
Phyllostachys aureosulcata McClure and P. aurea Carrière ex A. Rivière and C. Rivière) |
Yellow groove bamboo [grove is a misspelling] and golden bamboo | NYS PDF |
Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Makino ex Breitenbach |
Crowdipper, green dragon | NYS PDF |
Pinus thunbergii |
Japanese black pine | NYS PDF |
Pistia stratiotes L. |
Water lettuce | NYS PDF |
Poa bulbosa L. |
Bulbous bluegrass | NYS PDF |
Poa compressa L. |
Canada bluegrass | NYS PDF |
Poa pratensis L. |
Kentucky bluegrass | NYS PDF |
Populus alba |
White poplar | NYS PDF |
Potamogeton crispus L. |
Curly pondweed | NYS PDF |
Prunus avium L. |
Sweet cherry | NYS PDF |
Prunus cerasus L. |
Sour Cherry | NYS PDF |
Prunus padus L. |
European bird cherry | NYS PDF |
Pseudosasa japonica (Siebold & Zucc. ex Steud.) Makino ex Nakai |
Arrow bamboo | NYS PDF |
Pueraria montana |
Kudzu | NYS PDF |
Pyrus calleryana |
Callery pear | NYS PDF |
Ranunculus ficaria |
Lesser celandine, fig buttercup | NYS PDF |
Ranunculus repens L. |
Creeping Butter-cup | NYS PDF |
Rhamnus cathartica |
Common buckthorn | NYS PDF |
Rhodotypos scandens |
Jetbead | NYS PDF |
Robinia hispida L. (var. fertilis & hispida) |
Bristly locust, mossy locust, rose acacia | NYS PDF |
Robinia pseudoacacia |
Black locust | NYS PDF |
Rorippa amphibia L. Besser (Nasturtium amphibium L. W.T. Ait.) |
Great yellowcress | NYS PDF |
Rosa multiflora |
Multiflora rose | NYS PDF |
Rosa rugosa |
Rugosa rose, Japanese rose | NYS PDF |
Rubus bifrons Vest. ex Tratt. (R. armeniacus Focke; R. discolor Weihe & Nees, R. fruticosus exclusive of its type as per USDA |
Himalayan blackberry | NYS PDF |
Rubus laciniatus |
Rosa rugosa | NYS PDF |
Rubus phoenicolasius |
Wineberry | NYS PDF |
Rumex acetosella |
Sheep sorrel | NYS PDF |
Salix atrocinerea/cinerea |
Large gray willow, European gray willow | NYS PDF |
Salvinia molesta |
Water fern | NYS PDF |
Saponaria officinalis L. |
Bouncing-bet, bouncing betty, soapwort | NYS PDF |
Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub (S. arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dum. nom. illeg.; Festuca arundinacea Schreb. ; F. elatior L. nom. rej.; Lolium arundinaceum (Schreb.) S.J. Darbyshire) |
Tall Fescue, Kentucky Fescue, Reed Fescue, Coarse Fescue, Alta Fescue | NYS PDF |
Senecio jacobaea L. |
Tansy-ragwort | NYS PDF |
Silphium perfoliatum L. var. perfoliatum |
Cup plant | NYS PDF |
Solanum dulcamara L. var. dulcamara |
Trailing nightshade, bittersweet nightshade, climbing nightshade | NYS PDF |
Sorbaria sorbifolia (L.) A. Braun |
False spiraea | NYS PDF |
Spiraea japonica |
Japanese spiraea | NYS PDF |
Stratiotes aloides L. |
Water soldiers | NYS PDF |
Syringa reticulata (Blume) H.Hara[(=S. amurensis (Rupr.) Rupr.; including S. pekinensis Rupr.] |
Japanese tree lilac | NYS PDF |
Tanacetum vulgare L. |
Common tansy | NYS PDF |
Trapa natans L. |
water chestnut, water caltrop | NYS PDF |
Tussilago farfara L. |
Coltsfoot | NYS PDF |
Ulmus pumila L. |
Siberian elm | NYS PDF |
Valeriana officinalis |
Common valerian | NYS PDF |
Verbena bonariensis L. var. bonariensis |
Purpletop vervain | NYS PDF |
Veronica beccabunga L. |
European speedwell | NYS PDF |
Veronica officinalis L. |
Common speedwell, gypsy-weed | NYS PDF |
Viburnum dilatatum Thunb. |
Linden arrowwood | NYS PDF |
Viburnum lantana L. |
Wayfaring-tree | NYS PDF |
Viburnum opulus L. var. opulus |
European cranberry bush, Guelder rose | NYS PDF |
Viburnum setigerum |
Tea viburnum | NYS PDF |
Viburnum sieboldii |
Siebold's arrow-wood, Sielbold's viburnum | NYS PDF |
Vicia cracca L. s.l. (includes: Vicia cracca L. subsp. cracca, V. cracca subsp tenuifolia (Roth) Gaudin, V. villosa subsp pseudocracca (Bertol.) Ball, V. villosa var. varia (Host) Corb., V. villosa Roth var. villosa) |
Bird vetch, cow vetch, winter vetch, bramble vetch, tufted vetch, shaggy vetch | NYS PDF |
Vinca minor |
Common periwinkle | NYS PDF |
Vitex rotundifolia L.F. |
Roundleaf chastetree, beach vitex, chasteberry, monk's pepper | NYS PDF |
Wisteria sinensis/W. floribunda |
Chinese wisteria/Japanese wisteria | NYS PDF |
