If you've heard one invasive plant name on repeat over the
last few years, it's Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima). It’s
in the spotlight for good reason—fast-growing, allelopathic, nearly impossible
to kill, and the preferred host of the notorious spotted lanternfly. But while Tree
of Heaven dominates headlines and invasive species campaigns, a quiet group
of equally destructive invaders continues to spread across our forests,
roadsides, and managed landscapes with far less fanfare.
It's time we give some long-overdue attention to a cast of
botanical villains that are just as bad—if not worse—in certain environments.
Here are ten under-the-radar invaders that deserve the same scrutiny.
1. Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)
This delicate-looking grass may not raise eyebrows, but it
chokes out native groundcover and seedlings across the Eastern U.S. It’s nearly
impossible to eradicate once established and alters the forest floor so
dramatically that natural regeneration all but stops.
2. Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense)
Common in Southern understories, Chinese privet forms dense
thickets that shut out native shrubs and tree saplings. It’s still used in
residential landscapes, despite being one of the biggest threats to
southeastern riparian habitats.
3. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
With its sweet scent and recognizable vines, this plant is
nostalgic for many—but deadly to native ecosystems. It strangles small trees,
smothers forest floors, and thrives along any disturbed edge.
4. Sericea Lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata)
Once touted for erosion control and wildlife food plots,
this legume now dominates pastures, rights-of-way, and prairies. It crowds out
native wildflowers and creates a monoculture that’s virtually useless for most
wildlife.
5. Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
This nitrogen-fixing shrub invades open fields and roadsides
at breakneck speed. Birds love its berries and spread the seeds far and wide,
making control an uphill battle.
6. Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)
You’ve probably seen these lining suburban streets in
spring, bursting with white blossoms. What you don’t see are the wild thickets
forming in meadows, woodland edges, and disturbed ground, displacing native
species in record time.
7. Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica)
Considered one of the world’s worst invasive plants,
cogongrass spreads with underground rhizomes and burns hot enough to kill
mature trees. It’s an absolute menace in the Southeast—and one many still don’t
recognize by name.
8. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
It’s in countless landscaping beds, but ivy doesn’t stop at
the garden. Once it escapes, it climbs and strangles trees, smothers
wildflowers, and creates a carpet that makes native regrowth nearly impossible.
9. Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora)
This vigorous vine forms thick blankets in sunny areas,
completely overtaking native vegetation. Its showy white flowers disguise just
how disruptive it can be to natural plant communities.
10. Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
Another well-meaning introduction gone rogue, this thorny
shrub now dominates pasture edges, forming dense, nearly impenetrable thickets.
Originally promoted for erosion control and “living fences,” it’s now a major
problem for land managers and graziers alike.
Why the Disparity in Attention?
So why does Tree of Heaven get all the publicity
while these other species continue to spread quietly? Some of it boils down to
visibility: it’s easier to rally attention around a tall, dramatic tree than a
creeping groundcover. And the connection with the spotted lanternfly gave Ailanthus
a ready-made villainous backstory.
But in terms of ecological impact, land-use disruption, and
management cost, these other species are just as threatening—some arguably more
so. Many of them were even promoted by government programs decades ago, so
public perception hasn’t caught up with current ecological reality.
What Can Be Done?
Landowners, golf course superintendents, farmers, and
conservationists all have a role to play in changing that narrative. Here’s
how:
- Promote
awareness of lesser-known invasive species in your community or
organization.
- Stop
planting problem species, no matter how attractive they may seem.
- Adopt
integrated control plans, especially for vines and grasses that don’t
respond to one-time treatments.
- Push
for updated plant sale regulations, especially for species still being
sold at nurseries.
Tree of Heaven deserves the bad press—but let’s not ignore
the rest of the invasive rogues quietly reshaping our landscapes. As anyone
who's battled a 3-acre patch of privet or waded through a wall of multiflora
rose can tell you, these plants are no less destructive. They’ve just flown
under the radar for too long.
