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Ohio Prohibits Sale of 38 Invasive Plants02-01-18 | Legislation

Ohio Prohibits Sale of 38 Invasive Plants
Hopes to Stop the Spread and Damage the Plants Have Done

Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata) is one of 38 plants recently listed as invasive species by the Ohio department of agriculture. Kudzu, native to eastern and Southeast Asia, was introduced to the U.S. in 1876 and became known as the "vine that ate the South."

To protect native plant species, the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) has declared the sale of 38 invasive plants illegal, and hopes to stop the spread and damage the plants have done to the landscape by prohibiting their sale and distribution.

The plants include common barberry (Berberis vulgaris), flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus), Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) and Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana). The complete list is at this link: https://tinyurl.com/y93jh9jr

"We may not see it with the naked eye when we're walking though the woods, but it's happening. You see something really pretty, but you don't see the damage," forester Alistair Reynolds told the Columbus Dispatch.

The only legal conduct a person can do with the listed species is dispose of it, control it, or use it for research with agreement from the Department of Agriculture.

The law took effect on Jan. 7 and will be up for review in five years.

Invasive List
1. Ailanthus altissima, Tree-of-Heaven
2. Alliaria petiolata, garlic mustard

3. Berberis vulgaris, common barberry
4. Butomus umbellatus, flowering rush
5. Celastrus orbiculatus, oriental bittersweet
6. Centaurea stoebe ssp. Micranthos, spotted knapweed
7. Dipsacus fullonum, common teasel
8. Dipsacus laciniatus, cutleaf teasel
9. Egeria densa Brazilian, elodea
10. Elaeagnus angustifolia, Russian olive
11. Elaeagnus umbellata, autumn olive
12. Epilobium hirsutum, hairy willow herb
13. Frangula alnus, glossy buckthorn
14. Heracleum mantegazzianum, giant hogweed
15. Hesperis matronlis, Dame's Rocket
16. Hydrilla verticillata, hydrilla
17. Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, European frog-bit
18. Lonicera japonica, Japanese honeysuckle
19. Lonicera maackii, amur honeysuckle
20. Lonicera morrowii, Morrow's honeysuckle;
21. Lonicera tatarica, Tatarian honeysuckle;
22. Lythrum salicaria, purple loosestrife;
23. Lythrum virgatum, European wand loosestrife;
24. Microstegium vimineum, Japanese stiltgrass;
25. Myriophyllum aquaticum, Parrotfeather;
26. Myriophyllum spicatum, Eurasian water-milfoil;
27. Nymphoides peltata, yellow floating heart;
28. Phragmites australis, common reed;
29. Potamogeton crispus, curly-leaved pondweed;
30. Pueraria montana var. lobate, kudzu;
31. Pyrus calleryana, callery pear;
32. Ranunculus ficaria, fig buttercup/lesser celandine;
33. Rhamnus cathartica, European buckthorn;
34. Rosa multiflora; multiflora rose
35. Trapa natans, water chestnut;
36. Typha angustifolia, narrow-leaved cattail;
37. Typha x glauca, hybrid cattail; and
38. Vincetoxicum nigrum, Black Dog-strangling vine, black swallowwort.