Support Biodiversity

Choose native-friendly ornamental plants instead of invasive species.

The plants listed here are similar both in appearance and in cultural requirements to the invasive plants they can replace. Thy may be native or not but are not considered invasive.

The alternatives listed here are just a few of the possibilities. They are hardy in much of New York, but check both your hardiness zone and your site’s conditions. Many of these alternatives are readily available at local nurseries. Seek additional advice at your local extension office and through Cornell’s searchable Woody Plants Database.

Please see the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) regulations and the complete list of prohibited and regulated species. Check local laws, as some NY municipalities have further restrictions on invasive species.

Alternatives to NYS Invasive Prohibited Plants

Most of the prohibited plants on the NYS DEC prohibited plant list (pdf) are considered weeds. Our list focuses on prohibited and regulated plants that have ornamental characteristics and are sometimes cultivated.

Note

* Native to the United States
** Native to New York State (hybrids and cultivars of native species included)

Prohibited Aquatics

Invasive: Yellow Flag Iris, Iris pseudacorus

Alternative Plants

  • White Turtlehead**, Chelone glabra
  • Japanese Iris, Iris ensata
  • Louisiana Irises*, Iris spp.
  • Blueflag Iris**, Iris versicolor
  • Cardinal flower**, Lobelia cardinalis

Prohibited Invasive Vines

Invasive: Porcelain Berry, Ampelopsis brevipedunculata

Alternative Plants

  • Dutchman’s Pipe**, Aristolochia macrophylla
  • Trumpet Honeysuckle**, Lonicera sempervirens
  • American Bittersweet**, Celastrus scandens
  • Trumpetcreeper**, Campsis radicans (Aggressive spreader)
  • Fox Grape**, Vitis labrusca

Invasive: Oriental Bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus

Alternative Plants

  • Dutchman’s Pipe**, Aristolochia macrophylla
  • Trumpet Honeysuckle**, Lonicera sempervirens
  • American Bittersweet**, Celastrus scandens
  • Trumpetcreeper**, Campsis radicans (Aggressive spreader)
  • Fox Grape**, Vitis labrusca

Invasive: Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica

Alternative Plants

  • Dutchman’s Pipe**, Aristolochia macrophylla
  • Trumpet Honeysuckle**, Lonicera sempervirens
  • American Bittersweet**, Celastrus scandens
  • Trumpetcreeper**, Campsis radicans (Aggressive spreader)
  • Fox Grape**, Vitis labrusca

Prohibited Invasive Trees

Invasive: Japanese Angelica Tree, Aralia elata

Alternatives

  • Pagoda Dogwood**, Cornus alternifolia (Canker disease is a problem in Eastern NY)
  • Witch Hazel**, Hamamelis virginiana
  • Staghorn Sumac**, Rhus typhina ‘Dissecta’ (Cutleaf cultivar, will spread)

Invasive: Amur Cork Tree, Phellodendron amurense

Alternatives

  • Honeylocust*, Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis
  • Kentucky Coffeetree**, Gymnocladus dioicus
  • Japanese Pagoda Tree, Styphnolobium japonicum
  • Hackberry**, Celtis occidentalis

Prohibited Invasive Herbaceous Plants

Invasive: Garden and Purple Loosestrifes, Lysmachia vulgaris, Lythrum salicaria

Alternatives

  • Fireweed**, Chamerion angustifolium
  • Meadowsweet*, Filipendula purpurea, F. rubra
  • Blazing Star*, Liatris spicata
  • Cardinal flower**, Lobelia cardinalis
  • Obedient Plant**, Physostegia virginiana
  • Perennial Sage, Salvia nemorosa (S. x superba; S. x sylvestris)
  • False Indigo, Baptisia spp. (blue, yellow, and white varieties; many are not native)

Prohibited Invasive Shrubs

Invasive: Japanese Barberry, Berberis thunbergi

Alternatives to Japanese Barberry

For dwarf purple cultivars of B. thunbergii:

  • Old Fashioned Weigela, Weigela florida (Dwarf purple cultivars)

For standard purple cultivars of B. thunbergii:

  • Smokebush, Cotinus coggygria (Purple cultivars)
  • Eastern Ninebark**, Physocarpus opulifolius (Purple cultivars)
  • Weigela, Weigela florida (Standard purple cultivars)

For yellow or gold cultivars of B. thunbergii:

  • Eastern Ninebark**, Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Dart’s Gold’
  • Old Fashioned Weigela, Weigela florida (Yellow cultivars)

For green cultivars of B. thunbergii:

  • Spicebush**, Lindera benzoin
  • Bush Cinquefoil**, Dasifora fruticosa
  • Fragrant Sumac**, Rhus aromatica (Dwarf cultivars)
  • Virginia Rose**, Rosa virginiana
  • Weigela, Weigela florida

Invasive: Autumn Olive, Elaeagnus umbellata

Alternatives

  • Eastern Baccharis**, Baccharis halimifolia
  • American smoketree*, Cotinus obovatus
  • Northern Bayberry**, Morella pensylvanica
  • Serviceberry**, Amelanchier canadensis

 

    Invasive: Border Privet, Ligustrum obtusifolium

    Alternatives to Border Privet, Ligustrum obtusifolium
    • Boxwood, Buxus sp.
    • Holly, Ilex spp. *(some species native to U.S.)
    • Yew, Taxus spp. (T. canadensis native to NY; check hardiness zones) All species deer susceptible
    • American arborvitae**, Thuja occidentalis (Note: deer susceptible)
    • Black chokeberry**, Aronia melanocarpa

    Invasive: Shrub Honeysuckle

    • Fly, Lonicera x bella
    • Amur, L. maackii
    • Morrow’s, L. morrowii
    • Tartarian, L. tartarica

    Alternatives to Shrub Honeysuckle

    • Beautyberry*, Callicarpa americana
    • Buttonbush**, Cephalanthus occidentalis
    • White Meadowsweet**, Spiraea alba
    • Nippon or Vanhoutte Spirea, Spiraea nipponica
    • Red Osier Dogwood**, Cornus sericea

    Alternatives to NY State Regulated Invasive Plants

    Note

    * Native to the United States
    ** Native to New York State (hybrids and cultivars of native species included)

    Regulated Trees

    Invasive: Norway Maple, Acer platanoides

    Alternatives

    • Freeman Maple**, Acer x freemanii
    • Sugar Maple**, Acer saccharum
    • London Planetree, Platunus x acerfolia
    • Basswood**, Tilia americana

    For red cultivars of A. platanoides including ‘Crimson King’ consider purple but smaller trees:

    • Eastern Redbud*, Cercis canadensis (Purple cultivars)
    • Crabapple, Malus spp. ‘Royal Raindrops’

    For additional information on appropriate tree selection visit the Urban Horticulture Institute. Refer to the site assessment checklist.

    • Honeylocust*, Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis
    • Hickories**, Carya cordiformis, C. ovata
    • Yellowwood**, Cladrastis kentukea
    • Kentucky Coffeetree**, Gymnocladus dioicus

    Regulated Vines

    Invasive: Sweet Autumn Clematis or Japanese Virgin’s Bower, Clematis terniflora

    Alternatives

    • Groundnut**, Apios americana
    • Virgin’s Bower**, Clematis virginiana
    • Climbing Hydrangea, Hydrangea anomala subsp. petiolaris

    Regulated Shrubs

    Invasive: Winged Euonymus or Burning Bush, Euonymus alatus

    Alternatives

    • Red**or Black** Chokeberry, Aronia arbutifolia, Aronia melanocarpa
    • Gray Dogwood**, Cornus racemosa
    • Dwarf*, Hybrid*, or Large* Fothergilla, Fothergilla gardenii, F. x intermedia, F. major
    • Witherod Viburnum**, Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides
    • Blueberry**, Vaccinium corymbosum (in sites with acid soil)
    • Ozark Witch Hazel, Hamamelis vernalis ‘Kohankie Red’

    Invasive: Wintercreeper Euonymus, Euonymus fortunei

    Alternatives

    • Bearberry**, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
    • Sweetfern**, Comptonia peregrina
    • Bearberry Cotoneaster, Cotoneaster dammeri
    • Allegheny Spurge**, Pachysandra procumbens
    • Wild Blue Phlox**, Phlox divaricata (does not tolerate dry sites)
    • Moss Phlox**, Phlox subulata

    Regulated Herbaceous Plants

    Invasive: Chinese (Japanese) Silver Grass or Maiden Grass, Miscanthus sinensis

    Alternatives

    • Big Bluestem**, Andropogon gerardi
    • Feather Reed Grass, Calamagrostis x acutiflora
    • Korean Feather Reed Grass, Calamagrostis brachytricha
    • Bottlebrush grass**, Elymus hystrix
    • Switch Grass**, Panicum virgatum & cultivars
    • Indian grass**, Sorghastrum nutans

    Authors: Brian Eshenaur, New York State Integrated Pest Management Program, Cornell University, nysipm.cornell.edu, and Sharon Bachman, New York Invasive Species Outreach Program, nyis.info, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Erie County.

    Reviewed by: Nina Bassuk, Cornell University Horticulture Section, and Jim Engel, White Oak Nursery, whiteoaknursery.biz.

    Produced January 2015. Last updated July 2017.

    Adapted from: Alternatives to Invasive Plants, A Sustainable Solution for Long Island Horticulture. Produced by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County. Project Leader: Alexis Alvey 2009, revised 2012.

    USDA PLANTS database is the source for the native status of the plants in this publication.

    Questions and comments on this resource are welcome. Please contact Brian Eshenaur at bce1 [at] cornell.edu (subject: Alternatives%20to%20Invasive%20Plants) (bce1[at]cornell[dot]edu.)

    portrait of Brian Eshenhaur
    Brian Eshenaur

    Senior Extension Associate

    NYS Integrated Pest Management

    Brian Eshenaur