Invasive & Non-Native Plants in Colorado
These non-native plants are among the most commonly recorded spreading in Colorado. Many crowd out the plants local wildlife depends on. The good news: there's a native you can plant instead.
Common mullein
6,939 sightingsVerbascum thapsus · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Field bindweed
4,112 sightingsConvolvulus arvensis · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Texas bindweed (native Convolvulus)
Canada thistle
3,763 sightingsCirsium arvense · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Wavyleaf thistle, Mountain thistle, Prairie thistle (native Cirsium)
Nodding plumeless thistle
3,600 sightingsCarduus nutans · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Redstem stork's bill
3,196 sightingsErodium cicutarium · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Texas stork's bill (native Erodium)
Sweetclover
2,788 sightingsMelilotus officinalis · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Dalmatian toadflax
2,651 sightingsLinaria dalmatica · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Yellow salsify
2,501 sightingsTragopogon dubius · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Remarkable goatsbeard (native Tragopogon)
Alfalfa
2,241 sightingsMedicago sativa · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Crossflower
2,201 sightingsChorispora tenella · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Russian olive
1,914 sightingsElaeagnus angustifolia · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Silverberry (native Elaeagnus)
Field pennycress
1,890 sightingsThlaspi arvense · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Butter and eggs
1,875 sightingsLinaria vulgaris · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a Colorado native that fits the same spot.
Red clover
1,869 sightingsTrifolium pratense · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Alpine clover, Parry's clover, Dwarf clover (native Trifolium)
Cheatgrass
1,723 sightingsBromus tectorum · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Smooth brome, Fringed brome, Porter brome (native Bromus)