March 09, 2026

Invasive Species Awareness Week: Learn about troublesome species

By Erica Quinlan
Dame's rocket is an aggressive, invasive plant in North America, often found in woodlands, roadsides and disturbed areas.

Dame's rocket is an aggressive, invasive plant in North America, often found in woodlands, roadsides and disturbed areas. (Provided photo)

INDIANAPOLIS — Gov. Mike Braun proclaimed Feb. 23-27 as Invasive Species Awareness Week in Indiana.

“The cost to prevent, monitor and control invasive species costs Indiana $8 million annually,” Braun said in the proclamation. “After habitat destruction, invasive species are the second greatest threat to biodiversity.”

The proclamation recognizes that invasive species “influence the productivity, value and management of land and water resources in Indiana.”

What are invasive species? Non-native species that cause harm to the environment, human health or the economy.

Indiana’s Terrestrial Plant Rule went into effect in April 2020 and designates 44 species of plants as invasive pests.

This rule makes it illegal to sell, gift, barter, exchange, distribute, transport or introduce these plants in Indiana.

Indiana Department of Natural Resources shared facts about four of the species on that list: Dame’s rocket, purple loosestrife, multiflora rose and kudzu.

Indiana’s Most-Wanted

Dame’s rocket: Populations are soaring to new heights in natural ecosystems across Indiana. Although it resembles the native phlox species, these flowers have four petals, not five. This plant can quickly crowd out and displace native species.

Purple loosestrife is a destructive, invasive perennial that dominates North American wetlands, riverbanks and ditches.

Purple loosestrife is a destructive, invasive perennial that dominates North American wetlands, riverbanks and ditches. (Provided photo)

Purple loosestrife: Its thick, square stems grow up to 6 feet in height and will form dense plantings that decimate entire wetland communities by eliminating open water habitat throughout Indiana. No part of this invasive plant is utilized by wildlife and some even avoid areas where it is growing.

Multiflora rose forms dense thickets that invade pastures and crowd out native species.

Multiflora rose forms dense thickets that invade pastures and crowd out native species. (Provided photo)

Multiflora rose: This is a multi-stemmed, very thorny shrub with long, rambling stems that create dense thickets that restrict human, livestock and wildlife movement. Its rapid growth commonly allows it to reach heights of 10 to 15 feet.

Kudzu is a deciduous, climbing, perennial vine, with stems up to 4 inches across.

Kudzu is a deciduous, climbing, perennial vine, with stems up to 4 inches across. (Provided photo)

Kudzu: These vines can grow a foot per day and can cover and outcompete native vegetation, causing serious damage to forest ecosystems. This plant can root at nodes where it contacts the soil and grows quickly, making eradication difficult.

To learn about the species regulated by Indiana DNR, report an invasive species or ask for more information, check out on.IN.gov/invasive-species.

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Erica Quinlan

Erica Quinlan

Field Editor