What to plant instead: native swaps for invasive plants

State-specific native alternatives for common invasive landscape plants, from USDA PLANTS nativity data and NC State Extension growing data. Checked 2026-10-14.

• Instead of Bradford (Callery) pear — 15 states
• Instead of Burning bush — 14 states
• Instead of Japanese barberry — 16 states
• Instead of Japanese knotweed — 22 states
• Instead of English ivy — 4 states
• Instead of Border privet — 9 states
• Instead of Chinese privet — 4 states
• Instead of Golden bamboo — 5 states
• Instead of Yellow groove bamboo — 5 states
• Instead of Purple loosestrife — 31 states
• Instead of Norway maple — 10 states
• Instead of Japanese honeysuckle — 15 states
• Instead of Nandina (heavenly bamboo) — 2 states
• Instead of Autumn olive — 18 states
• Instead of Tree of heaven — 18 states
• Instead of Oriental bittersweet — 15 states
• Instead of Amur honeysuckle — 17 states
• Instead of Multiflora rose — 19 states
• Instead of Kudzu — 17 states
• Instead of Miscanthus (maiden grass) — 7 states
• Instead of Common buckthorn — 14 states
• Instead of Glossy buckthorn — 13 states
• Instead of Chinese wisteria — 5 states
• Instead of Japanese wisteria — 4 states
• Instead of Mimosa tree — 3 states