13 Invasive Plants You Should Rip to Shreds

Don’t let the buttery yellow petals on this plant fool you: It chokes out native plants that are crucial for North American ecosystems. Scotch broom is native to Europe and North Africa and was probably introduced to North America sometime in the 1800s, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The plant usually grows 3 to 5 feet tall, but it can reach up to 10 feet. It’s found all over the East and West Coasts, but it’s not as common in the center of the country, says the National Park Service. The flowering shrub is beautiful, yes, but it often takes over pastures and isn’t edible for livestock. So, despite its glorious flowers, this plant must be eliminated.

This beautiful branch of purple flowers may not seem like it could be harmful to the environment, but it’s not native to the U.S. These blooms are perennial plants that have taken over some American wetlands, according to the New York State Invasive Species network. They’re usually found in marshes, ponds, and along streams. Loosestrife flowers are native to Asia, Northern Africa, and Europe but were introduced to the U.S. in the early 1800s. They’ve spread to most states and Canada, too.

The purple loosestrife’s thick vegetation threatens to push out native plants. Small infestations can be ripped up by hand, but anyone trying to remove these from a wetland needs to make sure that all of the roots are pulled out. If there are large infestations, herbicides may need to be applied.

This vine-like plant may seem harmless with its little pointed leaves, but it clogs up aquatic environments by growing up to an inch a day. It is considered one of the worst aquatic weeds in the entire country for crowding out other plants and growing in water reservoirs.

If left unchecked, hydrilla can kill local plants and also hurt recreational activities like canoeing and fishing. According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, anyone who goes out to a body of water should be sure to clean their boat and equipment before and after using to avoid spreading seeds or plant parts. Any plant parts removed from a boat while cleaning should be tossed into the trash and not back into the water. The department also asks residents to email or call the department if they see an abundance of the plant, in hopes of monitoring where it has spread.

This isn’t your usual holiday season chestnut. The water chestnut is present in over 40 states throughout the country, where it “colonizes” slow moving bodies of water, taking up space that would otherwise be used by local plants. It is common throughout the East Coast, especially in Northeastern states like Connecticut and New York.

These plants have huge roots and long stems. Their leaves often create a “mat” on the surface of the water and shade out native plants that need some sun. And when the plants die and decompose, they mess with the oxygen levels in the water and kill the fish.

The best time of the year to rip these up is from June to July, before the plant drops seeds. Kill it while it’s still young so that it can’t procreate. Anyone who participates in water recreation, or recreation near bodies of water, should clean off their equipment and dispose of plant matter into a trash can instead of throwing it back into the water.

These yellow flowers may look like they belong in an Easter bouquet, but don’t just pick these—rip them totally out of the ground. These Dalmatian toadflax flowers are native to parts of Europe and West Asia and were introduced to the U.S. sometime in the late 1800s or early 1900s, according to the USDA. They’ve spread throughout states out West.

Like many other invasive plants, these blooms can outgrow native species and compete for soil moisture. They especially impact rangelands and pastures that could be used for grazing, according to the Washington State Noxious Weed Board Control. These plants need to have their roots destroyed to be defeated. If pulling methods aren’t available, they should be sprayed with herbicides, according to a USDA guide.

This plant is also known as Chinese wisteria. The hanging, clustered purple flowers remind anime lovers of Demon Slayer, but these vines are not great for the U.S. Wisteria sinensis takes up space that could have been used by native plants, and it chokes out older trees by wrapping them in thick and heavy vines.

Native to China and East Asia, Wisteria sinensis was introduced to the U.S. in the early 1900s and is now found across 19 states. It’s a perennial that may look like the native wisteria, but the invasive version produces fuzzy pods for its seeds. To kill the plant, all of the roots have to be pulled out. If a single root is left in the ground, it will eventually sprout again.

Despite the delightful name of this plant, it must be uprooted in an attempt to save our ecosystems. The beefsteak plant has green and purple leaves, which are really nice... but they also can poison cattle, and like all other invasives, takes over entire environments. It is found throughout the entire country because its seeds are spread far and wide in the wind.

You can easily rip this plant out of the ground and dispose of it, like with other invasive plants, but it doesn’t have to end up in the trash: Beefsteak plants are edible and totally safe to eat (unless you’re a cow). It’s actually sold in some supermarkets under other names like wild basil or perilla.

So foragers who want to make sure native plants are safe and get leafy greens for free should keep their eyes open: These plants tend to grow near roadsides in both rich or dry soil, so they shouldn’t be hard to find.

This delicate white flower may be beautiful, but sadly, it is also an invasive plant that should be destroyed. Cherokee roses tend to “climb” over other vegetation, choking them out from air and light. This thorny plant also grows aggressively, which makes it harder for other native plants to survive. It’s originally from parts of East and Southeast Asia.

The plant tends to be found in South and Southeastern states, especially during the early weeks of summer. Despite being invasive to the area, it is the official flower of Georgia. Gardeners who want to get rid of the plant are often told to spray herbicides (consider that this could hurt the local environment as well), or they can pull the plant out of the ground without the use of chemicals.

When it covers the side of a home, this vine may look like something out of a charming old college town. But much like its country of origin, this plant has colonized other nations and is responsible for much destruction in the United States.

English ivy literally suffocates trees, making it hard for necessary sunlight to get through. It also carries “Bacterial Leaf Scorch” which is a plant pathogen that hurts native plants along with oak trees and elm trees. It’s currently growing in more than half of the states in the country and is often even sold in Home Depot. The plant is touted as being low maintenance, but it takes over most of the environments it thrives in, so maybe consider planting native perennials instead.

Many sources suggest spraying herbicides to get rid of the vine, but there is a greener alternative—dousing the plant with white vinegar. Other removal methods include mowing ground level ivy vines and ripping the roots out of the soil.

This delicately flowered plant is another edible invasive. It’s a pretty cute plant with small buds and pointed leaves, but sadly, it must die along with other plants that have rooted themselves in areas with no natural predators.

Garlic mustard originally comes from Europe and is found in many countries, but it should not be welcome here. It grows like crazy, and by the time of year native plants are ready to grow in their intended environments, the garlic mustard has already gotten so big that it blocks out the sun. It also draws away soil moisture and nutrients.

The best way to rid an ecosystem of garlic mustard is to rip it out at the roots. It’s best to try to identify it before it flowers and spreads seeds into the surrounding ecosystem. Rip this horseradish tasting plant out of the ground and throw it into some pesto.

Like the English Ivy, this plant takes over its environment. Kudzu swallows entire trees and even buildings. It’s native to Asian countries like India and Japan, but is swallowing the American South. It’s found primarily across the East Coast and up into New England, and is now officially in 30 states.

Kudzu has been a useful fodder crop for livestock, and is even ornamental... but it literally chokes out native plants. Because it creeps over everything, it stops sunlight from reaching native plants and trees for so long they eventually die.

There are several recommended methods to get rid of this plant, including using herbicides, having goats chew away at it, and just ripping it out of the dirt.

Don’t mind this plant’s name, because for nearby native plants it’s actually from Hell. Like many other invasive species, it has pretty leaves that look decorative, but it needs to be killed.

Native to China and Taiwan, this tree is now found in 30 states across the continental U.S., and is also in Hawaii. It can grow to 70 feet tall, and a single tree can produce more than 300,000 seeds a year. The Tree of Heaven also thrives in horrible soil and air conditions, so it’s quick to take over all kinds of environments and push out native plants.

Chopping the tree down does help stop its spread, but the most effective way to stop it from taking over is to identify it when the tree is still small. This tree looks like several native species, so be mindful to check that you’re not destroying a non-invasive plant. The Tree of Heaven has a strong, somewhat foul odor, so use your nose to identify it.

This puffy plant is all over social media feeds. It’s a driving force in home decor blog posts and the boho wedding aesthetic, and it’s even sold in dried bundles on Etsy. But despite its many creative uses, it is an invasive grass that is wrecking havoc on other plants.

Originally from countries in South American including Argentina and Brazil, pampas grass can survive drought, frost, and intense sunlight. If too many floofy pampas stems show up in an environment, they lower the amount of biodiversity there, according to a California wildlife guide. And one stem can carry millions of seeds that spread in the breeze.

Online guides suggest using herbicides on this plant, but to avoid spreading chemicals into the ground and towards other plants, just rip it out of the ground. You can also burn pampas to kill it or dig up the plants’ root system to ensure that it won’t grow back.