Ottawa National Forest Invasive Plant Priority List

The following is a table listing the priority of invasive plants, developed by the Ottawa National Forest (ONF). Last updated February 17, 2023.

List of invasive species by priority. The priority management protocol is below the table.
Priority	Common name	Scientific name
High	Garlic mustard	Alliaria petiolata
High	Japanese barberry	Berberis thunbergii
High	Bell’s honeysuckle	Lonicera × bella
High	Morrow’s honeysuckle	Lonicera morrowii
High	Tartarian honeysuckle	Lonicera tartarica
High	Purple loosestrife	Lythrum salicaria*
High	Eurasian watermilfoil	Myriophyllum spicatum*
High	Common buckthorn	Rhamnus cathartica
High	Glossy buckthorn	Rhamnus frangula
New Invader/High	Siberian peashrub	Caragana arborescens
New Invader/High	Houndstongue	Cynoglossum officinale
New Invader/High	Cutleaf teasel	Dipsacus laciniatus
New Invader/High	Autumn olive	Elaeagnus umbellata
New Invader/High	Leafy spurge	Euphorbia esula
New Invader/High	Giant hogweed	Heracleum mantegazzianum*^,
New Invader/High	Dames rocket	Hesperis matronalis
New Invader/High	Paleyellow iris	Iris pseudacorus
New Invader/High	Purple moor grass	Molinia caerulea
New Invader/High	Common reed	Phragmites australis
New Invader/High	Burnet-saxifrage	Pimpinella saxifraga
New Invader/High	Japanese knotweed	Fallopia japonica*
New Invader/High	Giant knotweed	Fallopia sachalinensis
New Invader/High	Curlyleaf pondweed	Potamogeton crispus*
New Invader/High	Tansy ragwort	Senecio jacobaea
New Invader/High	Japanese hedgeparsley	Torilis japonica
Medium	Bishop’s goutweed	Aegopodium podagraria
Medium	Wild chervil	Anthriscus sylvestris
Medium	European swamp thistle	Cirsium palustre
Medium	Flat pea	Lathyrus sylvestris
Medium	Sweet-clover	Melilotus officinalis
Medium	Wild parsnip	Pastinaca sativa
Medium	Reed canarygrass	Phalaris arundinacea
Medium	Scots pine	Pinus sylvestris
Medium	Crown-vetch	Securigera varia
Medium	Garden valerian	Valeriana officinalis
Low	Burdock	Arctium minus
Low	Hoary alyssum	*Berteroa incana*
Low	Smooth brome	Bromus inermis
Low	Spotted knapweed	Centaurea stoebe
Low	Canada thistle	Cirsium arvense*
Low	Bull thistle	Cirsium vulgare
Low	Orchard grass	Dactylis glomerata
Low	Queen Anne’s lace	Daucus carota*
Low	Hemp-nettle	Galeopsis tetrahit
Low	Orange hawkweed	Hieracium aurantiacum
Low	Tall hawkweed	Hieracium piloselloides
Low	Common St. Johnswort	Hypericum perforatum
Low	Nipplewort	Lapsana communis
Low	Oxeye daisy	Leucanthemum vulgare
Low	Butter-and-eggs	Linaria vulgaris
Low	Bird’s-foot trefoil	Lotus corniculata
Low	Bigleaf lupine	*Lupinus polyphyllus*
Low	True forget-me-not	Myosotis scorpioides
Low	Tall buttercup	Ranunculus acris
Low	Black locust	*Robinia pseudoacacia*
Low	Curly dock	Rumex crispus
Low	Crack willow	*Salix fragilis and S. X rubens*
Low	Bouncingbet	*Saponaria officinalis*
Low	Climbing nightshade	*Solanum dulcamara*
Low	Field sowthistle	Sonchus arvensis*
Low	Common tansy	*Tanacetum vulgare*
Low	Common periwinkle	*Vinca minor*
Watch List	Flowering rush	Butomus umbellatus
Watch List	Poison hemlock	Conium laculatum
Watch List	Paradise plant	Daphne mezereum
Watch List	Common teasel	Dipsacus fullonum
Watch List	European frogbit	Hydrocharis morsus-ranae
Watch List	False spiraea	Sorbaria sorbifolia

Priority management protocol:

High priority and New Invader/High priority = record and map all sites and treat most sites.
Medium priority = record and map sites in natural areas (i.e. not on roadsides); map larger sites anywhere but treat under selected circumstances (for example, crown vetch in a gravel pit, smaller isolated sites).
Low priority = map only large infestations in natural areas. Treat only under special circumstances.
Watch List = record and map all sites, treat most sites. None of these are known on the Ottawa and are rare or not yet found in the state of Michigan.

The ONF invasive plant priority list was developed using the Alien Plants Ranking System (Hiebert 2001), a computer program developed by the National Park Service, Northern Arizona University, Ripon College, University of Minnesota, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The list was approved by the ONF Management Team on April 13, 2005 and again on May 23, 2017. Comments and questions on the list are welcome.

Hiebert, Ron. 2001. Prioritizing Weeds: The Alien Plant Ranking System. Conservation Magazine, Volume 2, No. 1.

List of invasive species by priority. The priority management protocol is below the table.