Did you know roughly half of the most serious invasive plants in our region arrived by way of our gardens? For over a century, we have scoured the world for beautiful garden plants. Now, we know to be more careful in our plant selections. Birds, butterflies, and other wildlife depend on specific plants for habitat (native plants). When garden plants colonize natural areas, the worlds becomes a little less wild!

The below list consists of high-threat plants that Go Beyond Beauty participants have agreed to remove from sale/stop using (including cultivars). Please click on an image to learn more about the plant and why it is invasive. 
Note: depending on your region, this list may vary slightly and contain
​additional species to remove from sale and use.
Picture
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, U. of Conn., Bugwood.org
Japanese barberry
Berberis thunbergii 
Picture
Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
Invasive bittersweet
Celastrus orbiculatus
Picture
Gil Wojciech, Polish Forest R. Inst., Bugwood.org
Glossy buckthorn
Frangula alnus/Rhamnus frangula 
Picture
Emily Cook
Baby's breath
Gypsophila paniculata
Picture
Mark Frey, The Presidio Trust , Bugwood.org
Dame's rocket
Hesperis matronalis
Picture
Kristian Peters
Blue lyme grass
Leymus arenarius
Picture
Chris Evans, University of Illinois, bugwood.org
Non-native bush Honeysuckles
Lonicera tatarica et al.
Picture
Chris Evans, University of Illinois, bugwood.org
Japanese honeysuckle
Lonicera japonica
Picture
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, U. Conn., Bugwood.org
Moneywort/Creeping Jenny
​Lysimachia nummularia
Picture
Rob Routledge, Sault College, Bugwood.org
Ribbon grass/reed canary grass
Phalaris arundinacea
Picture
Paul Wray, Iowa State University, Bugwood.org
Common buckthorn
Rhamnus cathartica
Picture
John Ruter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org
Callery/Bradford/Cleveland pear
Pyrus calleryana
Picture
Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org
Water hyacinth
Eichhornia crassipes
Picture
Forest & Kim Starr, Starr Enviro., Bugwood.org
Water lettuce
Pistea stratiotes