Invasive Woody Plants

How to manage invasive shrubs.

Where possible, removal of bamboo will require less long-term effort than attempts at containment. Nonetheless, each approach requires vigilance and persistence.

Japanese privets are less common than other privets that are more widespread across the eastern U.S. Reported sightings in the mid-Atlantic are sparse, but it may be more widespread, based on its continued use in landscaping.

Winged euonymus is not widespread in the mid-Atlantic. Its greatest reported infestations are in the Midwest and Northeast. It has been found in much of central and southern Pennsylvania, far northern Delaware, southwestern Virginia, north-central West Virginia, and the greater Washington DC area.

European buckthorn is a native of Europe and was introduced here as an ornamental plant, perhaps as early as the late 1700s. In the 1900s, it was planted widely to form living fence rows and for wildlife habitat. Since then, it has spread aggressively into a variety of environments.

Japanese honeysuckle grows in a variety of habitats, including woodlands, wetlands, and disturbed areas, such as fence rows, roadways and rights-of-way. It is shade-tolerant and often smothers and kills native ground-level vegetation. It can also kill shrubs and saplings by girdling.

Autumn olive is now considered an invasive plant species for a variety of reasons. While it is not illegal to sell the plant in every jurisdiction where it exists, many natural resources management agencies and organizations discourage property owners from further planting.

Like many invasive plants in North American woodlands, Oriental bittersweet is a strong competitor for light and nutrients in a variety of disturbed landscapes. It can be found along roadsides, in fallow fields, and in woodlands that have been recently harvested.

Japanese barberry tolerates shade, resists drought, and deer don’t eat it. While this sounds like a perfect combination for ornamental planting, because deer do not browse it, it can outcompete native shrubs. It spreads rapidly through woodlands, open fields, and wetlands.

Eurasian bush honeysuckles are non-native species that can out-compete many native plant species. They are found throughout Maryland and the mid-Atlantic states, where these multi-stemmed plants spread rapidly in disturbed areas, forming dense thickets that can reach ten to fifteen feet in height.