Invasive Plants

The Department of Forestry and Fire Management's Invasive Plant Program is a cooperative forestry program, funded primarily by the USDA Forest Service, state and private forestry. This program is intended to support cooperative management of invasive plants that threaten and are capable of transforming plant communities in forests and woodlands throughout Arizona.

This program promotes partnership with Cooperative Weed Management Areas, units of local government, non-profit organizations, and public education institutions in projects that focus on prevention, control, and eradication of invasive plants using an integrated weed management approach.

Arizona’s Invasive Plant Program addresses several critical objectives identified in the Arizona Forest Resource Strategy.

For more information regarding the Arizona Invasive Plant Program, please contact Willie Sommers.

Invasive Plants of Concern

	Name	Elevation Range	Origin
	Buffel Grass (Pennisetum ciliare)	Below 4,500 feet	Africa, Middle East, India
	Camelthorn (Alhagi maurorum)	4,500 to 5,000 feet	Mediterranean region and western Asia
	Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa)	Below 7,200 feet	Southern Europe
	Fountaingrass (Pennisetum setaceum)	Below 4,500 feet	Mediterranean region
	Giant Reed (Arundo donax)	Below 4,000 feet	Eastern Asia
	Halogeton (Halogeton glomeratus)	4,000 to 6,500 feet	Cold desert regions of Eurasia
	Musk Thistle (Carduus nutans)	4,200 to 8,100 feet	Europe
	Onionweed (Asphodelus fistulosus)	Below 4,600 feet	Eurasia and North Africa
	Salt Cedar (Tamarix spp.)	Below 7,500 feet	Eurasia and Africa
	Scotch Thistle (Onopordum acanthium)	Below 7,500 feet	Europe and Mediterranean region
	Sweet Resinbush (Euryops multifidus)	Below 8,000 feet	South Africa
	Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)	4,700 to 8,700 feet	Europe
	Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima)	Below 6,200 feet	China
	Yellow Starthistle	Below 8,200 feet	Southern Europe