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Environmental Weeds

The 2024 List of Environmental Weeds in New Zealand, published by the Department of Conservation (DOC), identifies 386 exotic plant species that have naturalised and are causing significant harm to native ecosystems.

List of environmental weeds in New Zealand 2024

Management Agencies
Department of Conservation (DOC)

    • African clubmoss (Selaginella kraussiana)
    • African feather grass (Cenchrus caudatus)
    • African fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus)
    • African love grass (Eragrostis curvula)
    • agapanthus (Agapanthus praecox)
    • air plant (Kalanchoe pinnata)
    • alder (Alnus glutinosa)
    • Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis)
    • alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides)
    • Alpine ash (Eucalyptus delegatensis)
    • aluminium plant (Lamium galeobdolon)
    • angelica (Angelica pachycarpa)
    • annual poa (Poa annua)
    • apple of sodom (Solanum linnaeanum)
    • aristea (Aristea ecklonii)
    • Armenian blackberry (Rubus armeniacus)
    • arrow bamboo (Pseudosasa japonica)
    • arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
    • ash (Fraxinus excelsior)
    • Asiatic knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)
    • asphodel (Asphodelus fistulosus)
    • Australian sedge (Carex longebrachiata)
    • Australian tree fern (Sphaeropteris cooperi)
    • baccharis (Baccharis halimifolia)
    • banana passionfruit (Passiflora mixta)
    • banana passionfruit (Passiflora pinnatistipula)
    • banana passionfruit (Passiflora tarminiana)
    • banana passionfruit (Passiflora tripartita)
    • banana passionfruit (Passiflora × rosea)
    • Bangalow palm (Archontophoenix cunninghamiana)
    • barberry (Berberis glaucocarpa)
    • bartlettina (Bartlettina sordida)
    • bay tree (Laurus nobilis)
    • bear's breeches (Acanthus mollis)
    • beggars' ticks (Bidens frondosa)
    • bell heather (Erica cinerea)
    • bell-flowered cherry (Prunus campanulata)
    • berry heath (Erica baccans)
    • bishop pine (Pinus muricata)
    • bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara)
    • black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)
    • black medick (Medicago lupulina)
    • black passionfruit (Passiflora edulis)
    • black pine (Pinus nigra)
    • black wattle (Acacia mearnsii)
    • black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata)
    • blackberry (Rubus cardiophyllus)
    • blackberry (Rubus cissburiensis)
    • blackberry (Rubus echinatus)
    • blackberry (Rubus leptothyrsos)
    • blackberry (Rubus polyanthemus)
    • blackberry (Rubus ulmifolius)
    • blackberry (Rubus vestitus)
    • blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon)
    • bladderwort (Utricularia gibba)
    • blood grass (Imperata cylindrica)
    • blue billy goat weed (Ageratum houstonianum)
    • blue morning glory (Ipomoea indica)
    • blue passion flower (Passiflora caerulea)
    • blue sedge (Carex flacca)
    • blue spur flower (Plectranthus ecklonii)
    • blue sweet grass (Glyceria declinata)
    • Bohemian knotweed (Reynoutria × bohemica)
    • Bolivian fuchsia (Fuchsia boliviana)
    • bomarea (Bomarea multiflora)
    • boneseed (Osteospermum moniliferum)
    • box elder (Acer negundo)
    • boxthorn (Lycium ferocissimum)
    • Brazilian buttercup (Senna septemtrionalis)
    • Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolia)
    • broom (Cytisus scoparius)
    • broom sedge (Carex scoparia)
    • broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus)
    • browntop (Agrostis capillaris)
    • brush cherry (Syzygium australe)
    • brush wattle (Paraserianthes lophantha)
    • buddleia (Buddleja davidii)
    • buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)
    • bulbous rush (Juncus bulbosus)
    • burdock (Arctium minus)
    • bushy asparagus (Asparagus aethiopicus)
    • California bullrush (Schoenoplectus californicus)
    • Californian poppy (Eschscholzia californica)
    • Californian privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium)
    • Californian thistle (Cirsium arvense)
    • Canary Islands ivy (Hedera canariensis)
    • Cape honey flower (Melianthus major)
    • Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis)
    • Cape ivy (Senecio angulatus)
    • Cape pondweed (Aponogeton distachyos)
    • Cape tulip (Moraea flaccida)
    • castor oil plant (Ricinus communis)
    • cat's claw creeper (Dolichandra unguis-cati)
    • cathedral bells (Cobaea scandens)
    • caulerpa (Caulerpa brachypus)
    • century plant (Agave americana)
    • cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus)
    • chewing's fescue (Festuca rubra)
    • Chilean fire bush (Embothrium coccineum)
    • Chilean flame creeper (Tropaeolum speciosum)
    • Chilean glory creeper (Eccremocarpus scaber)
    • Chilean guava (Ugni molinae)
    • Chilean maiten (Maytenus boaria)
    • Chilean myrtle (Luma apiculata)
    • Chilean needle grass (Nassella neesiana)
    • Chilean rhubarb (Gunnera tinctoria)
    • Chinese mugwort (Artemisia verlotiorum)
    • Chinese pennisetum (Cenchrus alopecuroides)
    • Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense)
    • Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei)
    • chocolate vine (Akebia quinata)
    • climbing asparagus (Asparagus scandens)
    • climbing dock (Rumex sagittatus)
    • climbing gloxinia (Lophospermum erubescens)
    • climbing spindleberry (Celastrus orbiculatus)
    • coastal banksia (Banksia integrifolia)
    • cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata)
    • coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
    • common polypody (Polypodium vulgare)
    • common privet (Ligustrum vulgare)
    • common water lily (Nymphaea alba)
    • contorta pine (Pinus contorta)
    • Cootamundra wattle (Acacia baileyana)
    • coral tree (Erythrina × sykesii)
    • Cornish heath (Erica vagans)
    • cotoneaster (Cotoneaster coriaceus)
    • crack willow (Salix fragilis)
    • Cretan brake (Pteris cretica)
    • curled pondweed (Potamogeton crispus)
    • cut-leaved blackberry (Rubus laciniatus)
    • Dally pine (Psoralea pinnata)
    • Darwin's barberry (Berberis darwinii)
    • dimorphotheca (Osteospermum fruticosum)
    • divided sedge (Carex divisa)
    • Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
    • downy brome (Bromus tectorum)
    • downy hakea (Hakea gibbosa)
    • drooping prickly pear (Opuntia monacantha)
    • dusky coral pea (Kennedia rubicunda)
    • dwarf mountain pine (Pinus mugo)
    • eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)
    • eel grass (Vallisneria australis)
    • egeria (Elodea densa)
    • elaeagnus (Elaeagnus × reflexa)
    • elder (Sambucus nigra)
    • elephant grass (Cenchrus purpureus)
    • elephant's ear (Alocasia brisbanensis)
    • elodea (Elodea canadensis)
    • English ivy (Hedera helix)
    • European larch (Larix decidua)
    • European oak (Quercus robur)
    • European yellow sedge (Carex demissa)
    • evergreen buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus)
    • everlasting pea (Lathyrus latifolius)
    • fairy crassula (Crassula multicava)
    • false tamarisk (Myricaria germanica)
    • fatsia (Fatsia japonica)
    • feathertop (Cenchrus longisetus)
    • ferny azolla (Azolla pinnata)
    • field horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
    • fishpole bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea)
    • floating sweet grass (Glyceria fluitans)
    • flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum)
    • Formosa lily (Lilium formosanum)
    • foxglove (Digitalis purpurea)
    • fragrant virgin's bower (Clematis flammula)
    • Franchet's cotoneaster (Cotoneaster franchetii)
    • German ivy (Delairea odorata)
    • giant bindweed (Convolvulus silvaticus subsp. silvaticus)
    • giant knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis)
    • giant reed (Arundo donax)
    • golden dodder (Cuscuta campestris)
    • gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa)
    • gorse (Ulex europaeus)
    • grape (Vitis vinifera)
    • gravel groundsel (Senecio skirrhodon)
    • great willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum)
    • grey sedge (Carex divulsa)
    • grey willow (Salix cinerea)
    • gypsywort (Lycopus europaeus)
    • hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna)
    • hazel pomaderris (Pomaderris aspera)
    • heath rush (Juncus squarrosus)
    • heather (Calluna vulgaris)
    • hedge heath (Erica afra)
    • hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
    • Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)
    • Himalayan fairy grass (Miscanthus nepalensis)
    • Himalayan honeysuckle (Leycesteria formosa)
    • holly (Ilex aquifolium)
    • holly fern (Cyrtomium falcatum)
    • holly-leaved senecio (Senecio glastifolius)
    • hop (Humulus lupulus)
    • horned poppy (Glaucium flavum)
    • hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum)
    • hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
    • iceplant (Carpobrotus edulis)
    • Indian doab (Cynodon dactylon)
    • Indian shot (Canna indica)
    • inkweed (Phytolacca icosandra)
    • Italian arum (Arum italicum)
    • Italian jasmine (Chrysojasminum humile)
    • Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii)
    • Japanese hill cherry (Prunus serrulata)
    • Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
    • Japanese meadowsweet (Spiraea japonica)
    • Japanese spindle tree (Euonymus japonicus)
    • Japanese walnut (Juglans ailantifolia)
    • Japanese wax tree (Toxicodendron succedaneum)
    • Japanese wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius)
    • jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum)
    • Jerusalem cherry (Solanum pseudocapsicum)
    • jointed rush (Juncus articulatus)
    • kangaroo acacia (Acacia paradoxa)
    • Khasia berry (Cotoneaster simonsii)
    • kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus)
    • king devil (Pilosella piloselloides)
    • kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis)
    • kudzu (Pueraria montana)
    • lagarosiphon (Lagarosiphon major)
    • lantana (Lantana camara)
    • large-leaved cotoneaster (Cotoneaster glaucophyllus)
    • lawn daisy (Bellis perennis)
    • lily of the valley vine (Salpichroa origanifolia)
    • liquorice plant (Helichrysum petiolare)
    • loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)
    • macrocarpa (Hesperocyparis macrocarpa)
    • Madagascar buddleia (Buddleja madagascariensis)
    • Madeira vine (Anredera cordifolia)
    • maidenhair (Adiantum raddianum)
    • male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)
    • Manchurian rice grass (Zizania latifolia)
    • maritime pine (Pinus pinaster)
    • marram grass (Calamagrostis arenaria)
    • mat grass (Nardus stricta)
    • Mauritius hemp (Furcraea foetida)
    • mercer grass (Paspalum distichum)
    • Mexican daisy (Erigeron karvinskianus)
    • Mexican devil (Ageratina adenophora)
    • Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima)
    • Mexican water lily (Nymphaea mexicana)
    • Mexican weeping pine (Pinus patula)
    • mickey mouse plant (Ochna serrulata)
    • mile-a-minute (Dipogon lignosus)
    • mistflower (Ageratina riparia)
    • monkey apple (Syzygium smithii)
    • monkey comb vine (Amphilophium crucigerum)
    • monkey musk (Erythranthe guttata)
    • montbretia (Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora)
    • Montpellier broom (Genista monspessulana)
    • Moreton bay fig (Ficus macrophylla)
    • moth plant (Araujia sericifera)
    • mountain pine (Pinus uncinata)
    • mouse-ear hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum)
    • Mysore thorn (Biancaea decapetala)
    • nassella tussock (Nassella trichotoma)
    • nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
    • Norfolk Island hibiscus (Lagunaria patersonia)
    • nutgrass (Cyperus rotundus)
    • old man's beard (Clematis vitalba)
    • olive (Olea europaea)
    • onion weed (Allium triquetrum)
    • orange cestrum (Cestrum aurantiacum)
    • orange firethorn (Pyracantha angustifolia)
    • oval sedge (Carex leporina)
    • oxeye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
    • oxylobium (Callistachys lanceolata)
    • palm grass (Setaria palmifolia)
    • pampas (Cortaderia selloana)
    • parrot's feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)
    • pendulous sedge (Carex pendula)
    • perennial rye grass (Lolium perenne)
    • periwinkle (Vinca major)
    • phoenix palm (Phoenix canariensis)
    • pig's ear (Cotyledon orbiculata)
    • pink-headed knotweed (Persicaria capitata)
    • plum (Prunus domestica)
    • Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)
    • Portuguese laurel (Prunus lusitanica)
    • potato vine (Solanum laxum)
    • prickly hakea (Hakea sericea)
    • prickly Moses (Acacia verticillata)
    • primrose willow (Ludwigia peploides)
    • procumbent pearlwort (Sagina procumbens)
    • pultenaea (Pultenaea daphnoides)
    • purple groundsel (Senecio elegans)
    • purple guava (Psidium cattleianum)
    • purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
    • purple pampas (Cortaderia jubata)
    • purple willow (Salix purpurea)
    • purple-flowered iceplant (Carpobrotus chilensis)
    • purple-leaved plectranthus (Plectranthus ciliatus)
    • pyp grass (Ehrharta villosa)
    • queen of the night (Cestrum nocturnum)
    • Queensland poplar (Homalanthus populifolius)
    • radiata pine (Pinus radiata)
    • ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)
    • red cestrum (Cestrum elegans)
    • red cestrum (Cestrum fasciculatum)
    • reed Canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea)
    • reed sweet grass (Glyceria maxima)
    • rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum)
    • rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)
    • royal fern (Osmunda regalis)
    • rum cherry (Prunus serotina)
    • Russell lupin (Lupinus polyphyllus)
    • sallow sedge (Carex lurida)
    • salt water paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum)
    • scaly male fern (Dryopteris affinis)
    • Scotch thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
    • Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris)
    • sea couch (Thinopyrum acutum)
    • sea spurge (Euphorbia paralias)
    • Senegal tea (Gymnocoronis spilanthoides)
    • Sexton's bride (Rhaphiolepis umbellata)
    • sharp rush (Juncus acutus)
    • shrub balsam (Impatiens sodenii)
    • shrubby stonecrop (Sedum praealtum)
    • Siberian Lyme grass (Leymus racemosus)
    • silver birch (Betula pendula)
    • silver wattle (Acacia dealbata)
    • smilax (Asparagus asparagoides)
    • Spanish broom (Spartium junceum)
    • Spanish dagger yucca (Yucca gloriosa)
    • Spanish heath (Erica lusitanica)
    • spartina (Sporobolus alterniflorus)
    • spartina (Sporobolus anglicus)
    • spartina (Sporobolus × townsendii)
    • spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
    • spindle tree (Euonymus europaeus)
    • spotted aloe (Aloe maculata)
    • spur valerian (Centranthus ruber)
    • St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum)
    • stinking iris (Iris foetidissima)
    • stonecrop (Sedum acre)
    • strawberry dogwood (Cornus capitata)
    • swamp oak (Casuarina glauca)
    • sweet autumn clematis (Clematis terniflora)
    • sweet briar (Rosa rubiginosa)
    • sweet cherry (Prunus avium)
    • sweet pea shrub (Polygala myrtifolia)
    • sweet pittosporum (Pittosporum undulatum)
    • sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus)
    • Sydney golden wattle (Acacia longifolia)
    • tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferus)
    • tall fescue (Lolium arundinaceum)
    • tall reed (Phragmites karka)
    • tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum obtusiflorum)
    • Tangier pea (Lathyrus tingitanus)
    • Tasmanian ngaio (Myoporum insulare)
    • thornapple (Datura stramonium)
    • tradescantia (Tradescantia fluminensis)
    • tree heath (Erica arborea)
    • tree lomatia (Lomatia fraseri)
    • tree lupin (Lupinus arboreus)
    • tree mallow (Malva arborea)
    • tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
    • tree privet (Ligustrum lucidum)
    • tuber ladder fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia)
    • tussock hawkweed (Hieracium levicaule)
    • tutsan (Hypericum androsaemum)
    • umbrella sedge (Cyperus eragrostis)
    • undaria (Undaria pinnatifida)
    • variegated thistle (Silybum marianum)
    • veldt grass (Ehrharta erecta)
    • velvet groundsel (Roldana petasitis)
    • Victorian tea tree (Gaudium laevigatum)
    • viper's bugloss (Echium vulgare)
    • water celery (Helosciadium nodiflorum)
    • watsonia (Watsonia meriana)
    • western white pine (Pinus monticola)
    • white broom (Cytisus multiflorus)
    • white bryony (Bryonia cretica)
    • white poplar (Populus alba)
    • white-edged nightshade (Solanum marginatum)
    • wild ginger (Hedychium gardnerianum)
    • wild sisal (Furcraea selloa)
    • wild thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
    • willow-leaved hakea (Hakea salicifolia)
    • woolly mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
    • woolly nightshade (Solanum mauritianum)
    • yellow bristle grass (Setaria pumila)
    • yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)
    • yellow ginger (Hedychium flavescens)
    • yellow guava (Psidium guajava)
    • Yorkshire fog (Holcus lanatus)
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