Invasive Exotic Pest Plants in Tennessee

Report from the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council
May 2001 (First Revision)

Go To List by Rank  Go to list by Plant Type

Get the PDF of "Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests"  -- This is an invaluable resource!

The purpose of this list is to identify introduced plant species that are invasive or may become invasive and cause damage to native plant communities.  Introduced species are plants not native to a region of the state and are referred to as exotics.  The intent of this list is to:

1) rank exotics based on their invasive characteristics;

2) foster early detection of invasive exotics so that resource managers can implement a rapid response action to prevent them from becoming established and spreading;

3) educate the general public and resource managers in an effort to eliminate the use of invasive exotics in landscaping, restoration, and enhancement projects.

This list has no regulatory authority but provides useful information to help guide agencies and private landowners in making responsible decisions about plant use and management decisions.

The Council acknowledges that most introduced species are harmless.  However, it also realizes that many species do naturalize and have the potential to spread and become ecological disasters.

It is recommended that Rank 1 and Rank 2 category species be controlled and managed in the early stages of detection when possible.  The "Lesser Threat" and "Watch List" category species may become problems in the future and should be monitored.  Some species of the "Watch List" are severe threats elsewhere, but have not yet been reported in Tennessee.  Exotic pest plants are ranked according to the following criteria (click criterion name to go to that portion of the list):

Rank 1 "Severe Threat" Exotic plant species that possess characteristics of invasive species and spread easily into native plant communities and displace native vegetation; includes species that are or could become widespread in Tennessee.

Rank 2 "Significant Threat" Exotic plant species that possess characteristics of invasive species but are not presently considered to spread as easily into native plant communities as those species listed as Rank 1.

Rank 3 "Lesser Threat" Exotic plant species that spread in or near disturbed areas; and are not presently considered a threat to native plant communities.

Watch List A -- Exotic plants that naturalize and may become a problem in the future.  At this time more information is needed, and there is no consensus about their status.

Watch List B -- Exotic plant species that are severe problems in surrounding states but have not been reported in Tennessee.

How This List Was Developed

This is the first revision of the Invasive exotic Pest Plants in Tennessee list, first published in 1995.  That list was initiated from the  'introduced taxa' portion of the Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Tennessee (pub. 1993 by B. E. Wofford and R. Kral), and was developed by the research committee of the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council.  The development of the list included reviews by professional and amateur botanists, ecologists, and resource managers.  All comments were considered, and a consensus approach was accepted.

This revision followed a similar review process; however, a second step was initiated to review the plant list on a regional scale.  First, the list was sent to professional and amateur botanists, ecologists, and resource managers for review of recommended changes, including additions, deletions, or changes to current species ranking.  The second step established working subcommittees representing the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee:  West, Middle, and East.  The subcommittees reviewed the 1995 list, considered all reviewers' comments, and made their recommendations to the TN-EPPC Review Committee.

The TN-EPPC Review Committee was organized with at least one subcommittee representative from each region.  The Review Committee included Dr. Scott Franklin, Ecologist, UT-Memphis; Kris Johnson, Resource Manager Specialist, Great Smoky Mountains National Park; Geoff Call, Resource Manager Specialist, Arnold Engineering and Development Center; Michele Webber, Botanist, Stones River National Battlefield; and Brian Bowen, Ecologist, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Division of Natural Heritage.

The Review Committee made final additions, deletions, and changes in the species ranking based on consensus.  Additions to the list include species discovered in Tennessee since 1995 that have been reported to cause ecological damage; species known to cause ecological damage elsewhere and are considered potential threats, and species that may have been overlooked during development of the 1995 list.

Nomenclature and authorship are taken from Kartesz, J.  Synthesis of the North American Flora, August 1999.

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