The link categories on the left point to a representative list of species that are, or have potential to be, invasive in Maryland. It is by no means an exhaustive list, but includes species of great concern because they:

• are currently regulated by a state and/or federal law,
• are widely recognized by biologists and resource managers to degrade natural ecosystems, or negatively affect native species,
• are known to have significant economic impacts on agricultural ecosystems, public infrastructure or natural resources, including impact on recreational activities, or
• have, or can have, deleterious effects on human health.

This list is designed as a guidance tool for:

• on-the-ground management of existing invasive species,
• regulatory prevention, quarantine and enforcement activities,
• support of funding requests to the legislature, government agencies and private organizations, and
• education of legislators, regulators, commercial plant and animal producers and the public.

The list does not have regulatory or legal status, and is expected to change over time as the process of invasive species identification and management continues.

Species and Cultivars
Some of the plant species on the list are of commercial importance to the nursery industry and are routinely sold and planted in Maryland. MISC encourages nursery people, landscape architects, designers and installers, and the gardening public to consider alternatives to these species, particularly when plantings are done near parks and other natural areas. Horticultural selections made from some of these species (e.g., cultivars of daylily, Hemerocallis hybrids) may not be invasive. The position of MISC is that cultivars are not presumed to be invasive unless shown to be so.

MISC Brochures:
Invasive Species in Maryland

Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland