Terrestrial Invasive Plants

Terrestrial invasive plants include exotic, non-native, or new to the area plants that are land-dwelling, meaning they grow in non-aquatic habitats, including agricultural fields, rangelands, forests, urban landscapes, wildlands, and along waterways.

Terrestrial invasive plants include trees, shrubs, vines, grasses and herbaceous plants. They pose a significant threat to our land-focused resources, supplies, and/or infrastructure.

With no natural enemies to keep their population in check and their ability to outcompete Nebraska’s native species for food and other resources, terrestrial invasive plants can become widespread across a landscape quickly.

For non-noxious weeds, the Nebraska Invasive Species Council created four categories* for terrestrial invasive plants that are found in Nebraska:

Potential Terrestrial Invasive Species*

Potential terrestrial invasive species are invasive species that have not yet been sampled in Nebraska and are considered a high threat. Those species include:

Priority Terrestrial Invasive Species*

Priority Terrestrial Invasive Species are invasive species that are currently present in Nebraska but with limited distribution. They are considered highly unwanted species and all efforts should be made to prevent the expansion of their populations. Those species include:

Established Terrestrial Invasive Species*

Established Terrestrial Invasive Species are invasive species that are well established in Nebraska and total elimination is impossible. Local control and removal is the best that can be expected. Those species include:

Noxious Terrestrial Invasive Species

Noxious Terrestrial Invasive Species are invasive species that are listed as noxious at the federal, state, or county level.

Species listed at the federal level are regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service via the Federal Noxious Weed Act.

Species listed at the state level are regulated by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture via the Nebraska Noxious Weed Control Act.

Species listed at the county level are regulated by county weed control authorities as noxious plant species in certain Nebraska counties via the Nebraska Noxious Weed Control Act.

Designated noxious species are required by law for it to be removed from public and private land in the state. Those species include: 

Federal Noxious

State Noxious

County Noxious

Problematic Native Terrestrial Species*

Problematic Native Terrestrial Species are native species that can exhibit negative invasive characteristics due to environmental changes or human activity, causing or presenting the risk of causing harm to the environment, economy, or human well-being.

These species may or may not exhibit aggressive, invasive-like characteristics depending on the habitat they are found in; each situation varies and is dependent on living and/or once-living components of an ecosystem, such as plants, fungi, animals, and bacteria, and non-living, physical, and chemical components of an ecosystem, such as sunlight, temperature, water, air, and soil. Removal and control of these species may be needed. Additional research and education are encouraged to determine appropriate next steps for each individual situation. Those species include:

*Disclaimer: 

As opposed to aquatic invasive species and noxious weeds, there is no official list of Nebraska’s invasive terrestrial (land-dwelling) plant species created by a regulatory agency in the state. This list is unofficial; it is not for regulatory purposes.

Instead, this list is intended to serve three purposes:

1. To evaluate a plant species for horticultural, agricultural, or ecological projects.  A species on this list may warrant further research before being planted or used

2.  To be used as a resource for landowners and land managers who find one of these plant species on their land and want more information

3.  To encourage the public to report sightings of some of these plant species, which can be shared with regulatory agencies and other organizations to help prevent the plant's spread and/or establishment in Nebraska and/or to help determine possible management strategies

Species on this list may be included for a variety of reasons. Those reasons may include: 

• The plant species shows common characteristics identified as invasive in published scientific literature

• The plant species is designated as invasive by a regulatory agency and/or government authority in a nearby state

• The plant species is spreading rapidly, causing environmental and/or agricultural damage, and/or acting problematically as determined through credible reports from land managers, landowners, researchers, and/or scientists in Nebraska

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