Invasive & Non-Native Plants in South Carolina
These non-native plants are among the most commonly recorded spreading in South Carolina. Many crowd out the plants local wildlife depends on. The good news: there's a native you can plant instead.
Japanese honeysuckle
1,452 sightingsLonicera japonica · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Trumpet honeysuckle, Yellow honeysuckle (native Lonicera)
Chinese privet
1,414 sightingsLigustrum sinense · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Chinese tallow
1,149 sightingsTriadica sebifera · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
White clover
1,062 sightingsTrifolium repens · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Carolina clover, Buffalo clover, Cowbag clover (native Trifolium)
Henbit deadnettle
958 sightingsLamium amplexicaule · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Sacred bamboo
857 sightingsNandina domestica · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Silktree
829 sightingsAlbizia julibrissin · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Garden vetch
811 sightingsVicia sativa · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Carolina vetch, Fourleaf vetch, Louisiana vetch (native Vicia)
Sericea lespedeza
673 sightingsLespedeza cuneata · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: Creeping lespedeza, Hairy lespedeza, Slender lespedeza (native Lespedeza)
Chinaberrytree
594 sightingsMelia azedarach · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Oriental false hawksbeard
547 sightingsYoungia japonica · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
English ivy
531 sightingsHedera helix · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Thorny olive
518 sightingsElaeagnus pungens · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Kudzu
512 sightingsPueraria montana · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.
Common mullein
499 sightingsVerbascum thapsus · non-native to the U.S.
Plant instead: a South Carolina native that fits the same spot.