March 5, 2024
Ontario invasive plants
Landscape Ontario recognizes the threat of invasive plants to certain environments. Nursery production is focused on providing alternatives to potentially invasive plants wherever possible and nursery grower members are constantly evolving their production based on science.
LO supports the adoption of the CCIS code of conduct. The Grow Me Instead guide has useful information, however not all plants suggested can currently be produced en masse in a commercial setting, or transplant well in home gardens. Landscape Ontario members are constantly looking for new and improved plants that can replace invasives and that will perform well in a range of habitats.
LO supports the adoption of the CCIS code of conduct. The Grow Me Instead guide has useful information, however not all plants suggested can currently be produced en masse in a commercial setting, or transplant well in home gardens. Landscape Ontario members are constantly looking for new and improved plants that can replace invasives and that will perform well in a range of habitats.
Prohibited invasive species
In Ontario, it is illegal to import, possess, deposit, release, transport, breed/grow, buy, sell, lease or trade prohibited invasive species.Restricted invasive species
In Ontario, it is illegal to import, deposit, release, breed/grow, buy, sell, lease or trade restricted invasive species.Exceptions for restricted species
Outside a provincial park or conservation reserve, it's not illegal to deposit or release a restricted species if you are:- Trying to manage or control it.
- Working on your farm, in your business or doing maintenance.
Note: There are exceptions for prohibited species (found on the MNRF website), but generally it is only possible to move these species if they are dead and unable to reproduce. For example, preserved specimens for research or eviscerated/cooked for eating. If live specimens of prohibited species are found they must be destroyed immediately.
Prohibited invasive species (plants)
In Ontario, it is illegal to import, possess, deposit, release, transport, breed/grow, buy, sell, lease or trade prohibited invasive species.| ITEM | COMMON NAME | SCIENTIFIC NAME |
| 1. | Brazilian Elodea | Egeria densa |
| 2. | European Water Chestnut | Trapa natans |
| 3. | Hydrilla | Hydrilla verticillata |
| 3.1 | Oxygen Weed | Lagarosiphon major |
| 4. | Parrot Feather | Myriophyllum aquaticum |
| 5. | Water Soldier | Stratiotes aloides |
| 6. | Watermoss | All species in the genus Salvinia |
Restricted invasive species (plants)
In Ontario, it is illegal to import, deposit, release, breed/grow, buy, sell, lease or trade restricted invasive species.| Item | Common Name | Scientific Name |
| 1. | Black Dog-strangling Vine | Cynanchum louiseae |
| 2. | Bohemian Knotweed | Reynoutria ×bohemica |
| 3. | Carolina Fanwort | Cabomba caroliniana |
| 4. | Black Dog-strangling Vine | Cynanchum louiseae |
| 4.1 | Eurasian Water-milfoil | Myriophyllum spicatum |
| 5. | European Frog-bit | Hydrocharis morsus-ranae |
| 5.1 | Floating Primrose-willow | Ludwigia peploides |
| 5.2 | Flowering-rush | Butomus umbellatus |
| 6 | Giant Knotweed | Reynoutria sachalinensis |
| 7. | Himalayan Knotweed | Koenigia polystachya |
| 8. | Japanese Knotweed | Reynoutria japonica |
| 9. | Phragmites | Phragmites australis subsp. australis |
| 9.1 | Tree-of-heaven | Ailanthus altissima |
| 9.2 | Water Fern | All species in the genus Azolla |
| 10. | Yellow Floating Heart | Nymphoides peltata |
Resources
- Invasive Species Update, Feb. 23, 2024 presented at the LO Growers Short Course (PDF format)
- Regulation Ontario Reg. 354/16 (2024)
- Invasive Species Centre
- EDD maps
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- Ontario Invasive Plant Council (OIPC)
- Grow Me Instead guide
- CCIS code of conduct
Image courtesy Cassie Russell, OMAFRA