Invasive Species of Anchorage

Guiding Documents

ANC-CISMA Invasive Plant Strategic Plan (2024)

Priority Invasive Plant List (2024)

Non-native plant species recorded in Anchorage (2024)

Check out our article on how invasive species are managed in Anchorage!

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Identification of Invasive Plants

Selected Invasive Species of Alaska

Plant This not That

2019 Identification of non-native plants in Alaska.pdf

FGV-00146-Dont-Plant-Problem.pdf

Alaskans: plant this, not that | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

European Bird Cherry and Chokecherry

Prunus padus & Prunus Virginiana

Originally planted as an ornamental tree, it has spread aggressively into natural ecosystems, particularly along streambanks. European bird cherry outcompetes native vegetation like willows and alders, which are essential for stabilizing streambanks and supporting wildlife such as moose and salmon. Its dense canopy shades out native understory plants, reducing biodiversity and altering the structure of plant communities. This invasion disrupts food webs and weakens streambank stability, increasing erosion and harming fish habitats. Since 2017, the sale of European Bird Cherry has been banned in the Municipality of Anchorage.

General Information
This Beauty is a Beast Prunus padus Brochure
Prunus padus ACCS Ranking
Chokecherry: Alaska’s Pretty Problem Plant | KP-CISMA

Videos:

The Rouge Chokecherry Tree and Its Impact on Alaska’s Ecosystems

Prunus padus (Bird Cherry) and Prunus virginiana (Chokecherry) Invasion of Alaska

Removal
Invasive Plant Issues: Control of Invasive Chokecherry Trees
Chokecherry Control Frequently Asked Question

Are you a landowner looking for assistance removing Prunus trees?

Check out Anchorage Soil & Water’s Prunus Removal Assistance Survey!

Orange Hawkweed

Hieracium aurantiacum

Originally introduced as an ornamental plant, it has spread aggressively across meadows, roadsides, and pastures, outcompeting native vegetation due to its dense mats and rapid reproduction through seeds and creeping stolons. This displacement of native plants reduces biodiversity and disrupts habitats vital to local wildlife.

General Information
Orange Hawkweed ACCS Ranking

Orange hawkweed, a menacing invasive plant, is spreading in Anchorage - Anchorage Daily News

Removal
Invasive Plant Issues: Control of orange hawkweed

Bird Vetch

Vicia cracca

Originally introduced for erosion control and forage, it has since spread uncontrollably along roadsides, fields, and forest edges. Bird vetch grows rapidly and forms thick tangles that smother native plants and young trees, preventing them from getting sunlight and nutrients. This leads to a loss of native biodiversity and alters soil chemistry, making it harder for native species to reestablish. Its ability to fix nitrogen also gives it a competitive advantage, allowing it to dominate disturbed areas.

General Information
Bird Vetch ACCS Ranking

Control
Control of Bird Vetch

White & Yellow Sweet Clover

Melilotus alba & officinalis

Introduced as a forage crop and for erosion control, it has spread rapidly across disturbed and natural areas. This fast-growing legume outcompetes native plants by forming dense stands that crowd out local vegetation, reducing plant diversity and altering habitat structure. Its nitrogen-fixing ability changes soil chemistry, which can further disadvantage native species adapted to low-nutrient environments. White sweet clover also disrupts the natural processes of river ecosystems, affecting wildlife and the regeneration of native plants

General Information

White Sweetclover ACCS Ranking
Yellow Sweetclover ACCS Ranking