Non-native plants can wreak havoc on our local ecosystem, even still, many are available commercially, but these 44 are illegal to sell in Indiana.

Invasive Species Awareness

This week the Indiana Department of Natural Resources is highlighting invasive species of plants but hosting Invasive Species Awareness Week on Facebook.  Here is what the Indiana DNR defines "invasive species" as:

Invasive species are plants, animals, and diseases that are not native to the area in question and have or are likely to cause environmental, human health, or financial harm in Indiana. Many invasive species have entered Indiana or are a threat to arrive in our state. You can fight back by learning the signs, reporting sightings, and taking precautions.

Each day online, Indiana DNR highlights a different plant species that causes issues for our native plants, but did you know some plants are illegal to buy, sell, or plant in Indiana?

Why Are Invasive Species a Big Deal?

It may seem harmless to plant something that isn't native to our area, but invasive species can cause serious harm to our local ecosystem.  Many invasive species are responsible for habitat destruction and a decrease in biodiversity.  Not to mention the fact that it can cause some serious money to keep these plants under control.  The Indiana DNR says that millions of dollars are spent annually just to control invasive species in the Hoosier State.

Indiana's Terrestrial Plant Rule

Due to how harmful invasive species can be, Indiana has a terrestrial plant rule.  The Indiana Terrestrial Plant Rule was passed in 2019 and went into enforcement in 2020.

This rule makes it illegal to sell, gift, barter, exchange, distribute, transport, or introduce plants on the enclosed list in the State of Indiana.

They say that if you are found to be selling plants listed under this rule a stop sale will be issued, and a fine of $500 per day could be levied per plant! They also can revoke nursery licenses for failure to comply. So what plants are on this list?

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Here are the 44 plants that are illegal to sell or plant in Indiana as listed on Casetext:

•  Achyranthes japonica (Japanese chaff flower).
•  Ailanthus altissima (tree of heaven).
•  Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard).
•  Alnus glutinosa (black alder).
•  Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort).
•  Arthraxon hispidus (small carpgrass).
• Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry).
• Carduus acanthoides (spiny plumeless thistle).
• Carduus nutans (musk thistle).
• Celastrus orbiculatus (Asian bittersweet).
• Centaurea stoebe (spotted knapweed).
• Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle).
• Conium maculatum (poison hemlock).
• Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed).
• Coronilla varia (crown vetch).
• Dioscorea polystachya (oppositifolia) (Chinese yam).
• Dipsacus fullonum (common teasel).
• Dipsacus laciniatus (cut-leaved teasel).
• Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive).
• Euonymus fortunei (wintercreeper).
• Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge).
• Frangula alnus (glossy buckthorn).
• Hesperis matronalis (dame's rocket).
• Humulus japonicus (Japanese hops).
• Lepidium latifolium (pepperweed).
• Lespedeza cuneata (sericea lespedeza).
• Ligustrum obtusifolium (blunt-leaved privet).
• Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle).
• Lonicera maackii (Amur honeysuckle).
• Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle).
• Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian honeysuckle).
• Lonicera x bella (Bell's honeysuckle).
• Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass).
• Morus alba (white mulberry).
• Phalaris arundinacea (reed canarygrass).
• Phellodendron amurense (Amur cork tree).
• Phragmites australis subspecies australis (common reed).
• Polygonum perfoliatum (mile-a-minute vine).
• Reynoutria japonica (Japanese knotweed).
• Reynoutria sachalinensis (giant knotweed).
• Reynoutria x bohemica (Bohemian knotweed).
• Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn).
• Vincetoxicum nigrum (black swallow-wort).
• Vincetoxicum rossicum (pale swallow-wort).

If you notice these invasive species being sold, or planted anywhere you can report your sighting to the Indiana DNR here.