List of Regulated Noxious Aquatic Weeds

The January/February 2008 issue of a professional pond industry magazine contains a list of all regulated water plants, state or Federal, current as of 11/26/2007. A subscription is not necessary to access this issue but Adobe pdf is. You have to enlarge the list about 172% to read it. This has also been posted in the Water Gardening Forum.
The list appears on page 46 (of 48).

http://www.pondkeeper.com/pdf/issues/Pond&Garden_JanFeb_08.pdf

It's a start. I had to cut and paste the list into a word doc to be able to enlarge the print to read it. Nice addition snapple45! What I found interesting is that the City of Chicago was appearing. Didn't realize they were taking such a pro-active stance. They listed plants that are highly invasive yet not formally identified by the State of Illinois because of the political environment that exists in so many states.

If you think that IL has an unfavorable political environment take a look at what's listed for Ohio. One plant - period. Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Our State House isn't going to interfere with any plant commerce here- No Siree!

Well, at least your state has one aquatic plant listed. Some states don't list any at all.

Oh, That makes me feel MUCH better.

As if Ohio only has one aquatic invasive species- Ha! Think about Water Hyacinth and how many states aren't listing it as invasive because of how powerful the nursery industry is. Now what value can we really place on lists such as this that are inclomplete at best? Leads people trying their best to make responsible plant purchases into a false sense of security when their state is no where to be found or listing only one species.

Wanna talk about the damage done to ecosystems when people tire of their Asian Koi or want to get rid of fry and drop them in ponds, lakes, and streams?

I think this says it pretty good.

http://biology.usgs.gov/invasive/silver_carphighlight.html

You don't see them offered around here at any of the koi sellers. But that's no assurance that they aren't coming in some other way.

I generally avoid all plants listed for areas which have a regional soil/climate similarity to where I garden. Thus I avoid those listed for MI, PA, IL, IN etc. That's not perfect I know.

I have some Berberis thunbergii cultivars that are increasingly becoming a problem in other areas. However, in all my volunteer field work and in my discussions with the local agricultural extension agent, I have not seen or heard of it escaping anywhere locally. You just don't see it here anywhere outside of cultivation.

Had my first MG class last Tuesday. Teriffic botany lecturer. The 7 hours just flew. He went as deep into it as the class inquired. We had some very astute students which made for some very in depth material in some spots. Some of it was just basic though. It never hurts to refresh. Looking forward to next Tuesday. Hope they are all this good.

Instead of focusing on Invasive species, perhaps start by planting native species?
('Invasive' is a very subjective term--some people find native plants to be 'invasive' if and when they manage to outcompete their treasured exotics! Non-native plants that are supposed to be non-invasive can and do escape.)

The US Fish & Wildlife Services offices often have lists specific to their region--and they'd be a much better source of information about invasives too, even if you live in a state that does not happily publish an official list thereof.

Here, for example is the list of 'Herbaceous Emergents' native to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed:
Distichlis spicata
Dulichium arundinaceum
Hibiscus moscheutos (H. palustris)
Iris prismatica
Iris versicolor
Iris virginica
Juncus canadensis
Juncus effusus
Juncus roemerianus
Justicia americana
Kosteletzkya virginica
Nuphar lutea (N. advena)
Nymphaea odorata
Orontium aquaticum
Peltandra virginica
Pontederia cordata
Sagittaria latifolia
Saururus cernuus
Schoenoplectus pungens v. pungens (Scirpus pungens, Scirpus americanus)
Schoenoplectus validus (Scirpus validus)
Scirpus atrovirens
Scirpus cyperinus
Scirpus pungens (see Schoenoplectus pungens v. pungens)
Scirpus validus (see Schoenoplectus validus)
Scirpus: also see Schoenoplectus
Sparganium americanum
Spartina alterniflora
Spartina cynosuroides
Spartina patens
Spartina pectinata
Zizania aquatica

Can't remember how I found native submerged aquatic plants, but I finally settled on hornwort for our water garden--we live quite close to a creek and there are lots of birds that stop in at our water garden, so I'm not willing to take any chances.
(Especially when I think that in the future the things I plant now could someday be to someone else as tiresome and frustrating as the Ailanthus, Japanese Pachysandra, oriental bittersweet and English ivy are to me today!)

Your local native plant society would also be a good place to start.

Please share what you find!
Teresa