Updated: June 26, 2025
By Andrew Kling

Since its debut as a regular Branching Out feature in 2016, "Invasives in Your Woodland" has profiled a wide variety of invasive plant species that threaten the health of Maryland's ecosystems.

Please note that all information concerning these species was current as of date of publication, except as noted.

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2024

Wineberry fruit. Photo by John M. Randall, The Nature Conservancy, Bugwood.jpg

Wineberry (Vol. 32, no. 1 - Winter 2024)

Sawtooth oak leaves. Photo by Richard Gardner, bugwood. org

Sawtooth Oak (Vol. 32, no. 2 - Spring 2024)

Japanese Hops blooming in Prince George's County, MD. Photo by Maddie Koenig, Maryland Biodiversity Project.

Japanese Hop (Vol. 32, no. 3 - Summer 2024)

Osage-orange in Harford County, MD.  Photo by Dave Webb, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Osage-orange (Vol. 32, no. 4 - Fall 2024)

2023

Princess Tree blooming in Howard County. MD. Photo by Joanne Solem. Maryland Biodiversity Project

Princess Tree (Vol. 31, no. 1 - Winter 2023)

Chinese Wisteria Fruit. Photo by Franklin Bonner, USFS (ret.), Bugwood.org

Chinese and Japanese Wisterias (Vol. 31, no. 2 - Spring 2023, updated 2025)

 

Winter Creeper in Kent Co., MD. Photo by Nancy Martin, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Winter Creeper (Vol. 31, no. 3, Summer 2023, updated 2025)

White mulberry fruit. Photo by Rebekah D Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org

White Mulberry (Vol. 31, no. 4 - Fall, 2023)

2022

Canada thistle flowers. Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Canada Thistle (Vol. 30, no. 1 - Winter, 2022)

Musk thistle flowers. Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Musk Thistle (Vol. 30, no. 2 - Spring 2022)

Plumeless thistle blooming in Washington Co., Maryland, 2013. Photo by Jim Stasz, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Plumeless Thistle (Vol. 30, no. 3 - Summer 2022)

Bull thistle bloom in Garrett Co., Maryland. Photo by Jim Brighton, Maryland Biodiversity Project

Bull Thistle (Vol. 30, no. 4 - Fall 2022)

2021

Tree-of-heaven seeds. Photo by Richard Gardner, UMES, Bugwood.org

Tree-of-heaven (Vol. 29, no. 1 - Winter, 2021, updated 2025)

Lesser Celandine. Photo by Nancy Gregory, University of Delaware, bugwood.jpg

Lesser celandine (Vol. 29, no. 2 - Spring 2021, updated 2025)

Porcelain-berry foliage and fruit. Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, bugwood.org

Porcelain-berry (Vol. 29, no. 3 - Summer 2021, updated 2025)

Johnsongrass

Johnsongrass (Vol. 29, no. 4 - Fall 2021, updated 2025)

2020

Mile-a-minute foliage. Photo by Bruce Ackley, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

Mile-a-minute (Vol. 28, no. 1 - Winter 2020)

European buckthorn foliage. Photo by Rob Routledge, Sault College, bugwood.org

European buckthorn (Vol. 28, no. 2 - Spring 2020)

Winged euonymus infestation. Photo by Leslie Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, bugwood.org

Winged euonymus (Vol. 28, no. 3 - Summer 2020, updated 2025)

Japanese Privet

Japanese privet (Vol. 28, no. 4 - Fall 2020)

2019

Japanese honeysuckle flowers. Photo by Chuck Bargeron, University of Georgia, bugwood.org

Japanese honeysuckle (Vol. 27, no. 1 - Winter 2019, updated 2025)

Kudzu

Kudzu (Vol. 27, no. 2 - Spring 2019)

Japanese knotweed plants and flowers. Photo by Britt Slattery, US Fish & Wildlife Service

Japanese knotweed (Vol. 27, no. 3 - Summer 2019, updated 2025)

Butterflybush infestation. Photo by Leslie J. Mehrhoff-University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org

Butterflybush (Vol. 27, no. 4 - Fall 2019, updated 2025)

2018

Oriental bittersweet foliage. Photo by Richard Gardner, UMES, bugwood.org

Oriental bittersweet (Vol. 26, no. 1 - Spring 2018, updated 2025)

Autumn olive flowers. Photo by Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, bugwood.org

Autumn olive (Vol. 26, no. 2 - Summer 2018)

Multiflora Rose

Multiflora rose (Vol. 26, no. 3 - Fall 2018, updated 2025)

Garlic Mustard. Photo by Ansel Oommen, Bugwood.org

Garlic mustard (Vol. 26, no. 4 - Winter 2018, updated 2025)

2017

Callery pear trees in bloom. Photo by T Davis Sydnor, Ohio State University

Callery pear (Vol. 25, no. 1 - Spring 2017, updated 2025) 

English Ivy leaves close up

English ivy (Vol. 25, no. 2 - Summer 2017)

Amur bush honeysuckle foliage and fruit. Photo by Chris Evans, University of Illinois, bugwood.org

Bush honeysuckles (Vol. 25, no. 3 - Fall, 2017)

Japanese barberry woodland infestation. Photo by Leslie Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, bugwood.org

Japanese barberry (Vol. 25, no. 4 - Winter, 2017)

2016

Japanese Stiltgrass

Japanese Stiltgrass (Vol. 24, no. 1 - Spring 2016)

invasive wavyleaf basketgrass

Wavyleaf basketgrass (Vol. 24, no. 2 - Summer, 2016 - updated 2025)

Norway maple in fall. Photo by Leslie Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, bugwood.org

Norway maple (Vol. 24, no. 3 - Fall 2016 - updated 2025)

Golden bamboo growing along a roadside.

Golden bamboo (Vol. 24, no. 4 - Winter 2016)