Invasive Plants

large group of sericea lespedeza plants
Invasive Plants
Stop the invasion! Protect Missouri’s natural heritage.

Invasive nonnative plants consume wildlife habitat and compete with crops. Some invasive species, such as Callery pear, are still being grown, promoted, sold, and purchased.

The Missouri Invasive Plant Council (MoIP) is a multidiscipline group that works to bolster efforts to identify and control invasive plants across the state. In 2019, MDC adopted MoIP’s Invasive Plant Assessment as the Missouri invasive plant list.

Browse this section to learn how to identify and control more than 25 of Missouri’s most common invasive plants. For a complete list of invasive plants, visit Missouri Invasive Plant Assessment.

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Illustration of grass plant
Plant Native!

Invasive species can harm the natural landscape, native wildlife, outdoor recreation, working lands, and economy!

Choose Missouri’s native species when purchasing plants for your landscaping and remove known invasive species where possible.

Autumn Olive Control
Callery pear trees in a field
Callery Pear Control
Photo of crown vetch showing flowers and leaves.
Crown Vetch Control
Photo of man holding a wad of didymo
Didymo Control
Photo of hydrilla infestation
Hydrilla Control
Leaves of Japanese hop
Japanese Hop Control
Photo of Johnson grass, big clump next to a field
Johnson Grass Control
kudzu with flowers
Kudzu Control
Photo of leafy spurge seed heads
Leafy Spurge Control
Musk thistle flowers
Musk Thistle Control
Photo of common teasel flowering heads.
Teasel Control
Additional Resources
Missouri Invasive Plant Council
The Missouri Invasive Plant Council works statewide to bolster efforts to identify and control invasive plant species that impact Missouri’s economy and native species.
Management of Invasive Plants and Pests of Illinois
This publication from Illinois shows how to identify and manage many invasive plants and pests that are also found in Missouri.
Why Should I Care About Invasive Plants?
This publication from Midwest Invasive Plant Network shows how invasive plants affect hunting and fishing