PlantLegitOhio: invasive & noxious plant laws
New laws coming: several states phase in plant bans 2027–2030. See dates and sources →
Ohio has two lists, both from the Ohio Department of Agriculture. OAC 901:5-37-01 names prohibited noxious weeds (eff. Feb 16, 2025). OAC 901:5-30-01 names invasive plants that may not be sold, offered for sale, propagated, distributed or imported in Ohio (eff. Feb 13, 2023; Callery pear banned from Jan 7, 2023 and common privet from Jan 1, 2026).
Official sources
- OAC 901:5-37-01 Prohibited noxious weeds
- OAC 901:5-30-01 Invasive plant species
- Federal Noxious Weed List, 7 CFR § 360.200 (USDA APHIS) — applies in every state
Prohibited noxious weed (OAC 901:5-37-01) (31)
| Scientific name | Common name / notes |
|---|---|
| Sorghum bicolor | Shatter cane |
| Salsola tragus | Russian thistle |
| Sorghum halepense | Johnsongrass |
| Pastinaca sativa | Wild parsnip |
| Vitis spp. | Grapevines — when growing in groups of one hundred or more and not pruned, sprayed, cultivated, or otherwise maintained for two consecutive years |
| Cirsium arvense | Canada thistle |
| Conium maculatum | Poison hemlock |
| Senecio glabellus | Cressleaf groundsel |
| Carduus nutans | Musk thistle |
| Lythrum salicaria | Purple loosestrife |
| Persicaria perfoliate | Mile-A-Minute Weed |
| Heracleum mantegazzianum | Giant Hogweed |
| Nicandra physalodes | Apple of Peru |
| Conyza canadensis | Marestail |
| Bassia scoparia | Kochia |
| Amaranthus palmeri | Palmer amaranth |
| Pueraria montana var. lobata | Kudzu |
| Reynoutria japonica | Japanese knotweed |
| Phyllostachys aureasculata | Yellow Groove Bamboo — when the plant has spread from its original premise of planting and is not being maintained |
| Convolvulus arvensis | Field bindweed |
| Lepidium draba sub. draba | Heart-podded hoary cress |
| Lepidium appelianum | Hairy whitetop or ballcress |
| Sonchus arvensis | Perennial sowthistle |
| Rhaponticum repens | Russian knapweed |
| Euphorbia cyparissias | Cypress spurge |
| Calystegia sepium | Hedge bindweed |
| Nassella trichotoma | Serrated tussock |
| Sorghum x almum | Columbus grass |
| Bassia prostrata | Forage Kochia |
| Amaranthus tuberculatus | Water Hemp |
| Centaurea stoebe | Spotted knapweed |
Invasive plant (OAC 901:5-30-01) — no sale, propagation, distribution or import (63)
| Scientific name | Common name / notes |
|---|---|
| Ailanthus altissima | tree of heaven |
| Alliaria petiolata | garlic mustard |
| Ampelopsis brevipedunculata | porcelainberry |
| Azolla pinnata | Pinnate mosquitofern |
| Berberis vulgaris | common barberry |
| Butomus umbellatus | flowering rush |
| Celastrus orbiculatus | Asian bittersweet |
| Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos | spotted knapweed |
| Dipsacus fullonum | common teasel |
| Dipsacus laciniatus | cutleaf teasel |
| Egeria densa | Brazilian waterweed |
| Eichhornia azurea | anchored water hyacinth |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia | Russian olive |
| Elaeagnus umbellata | autumn olive |
| Epilobium hirsutum | hairy willowherb |
| Fallopia japonica | Japanese knotweed |
| Ficaria verna | lesser celandine |
| Heracleum mantegazzianum | giant hogweed |
| Hesperis matronlis | dames rocket |
| Hydrilla verticillata | hydrilla |
| Hydrocharis morsus-ranae | European frogbit |
| Hygrophila polysperma | Indian swampweed |
| Iris pseudacorus | yellow flag iris |
| Lagarosiphon major | African oxygen weed |
| Ligustrum vulgare | common privet |
| Limnophila sessiliflora | Asian marshweed |
| Lonicera japonica | Japanese honeysuckle |
| Lonicera maackii | Amur honeysuckle |
| Lonicera morrowii | Morrow's honeysuckle |
| Lonicera tatarica | Tatarian honeysuckle |
| Lythrum salicaria | purple loosestrife |
| Lythrum virgatum | European wand loosestrife |
| Marsilea guadrifolia | European water-clover |
| Microstegium vimineum | Japanese stiltgrass |
| Monochoria hastata | arrowleaf false pickerelweed |
| Monochoria vaginalis | heartshape false pickerelweed |
| Morus alba | white mulberry |
| Myriophyllum aquaticum | parrot feather watermilfoil |
| Myriophyllum spicatum | Eurasian watermilfoil |
| Najas minor | brittle waternymph |
| Nymphoides peltata | yellow floating heart |
| Ottelia alismoides | duck lettuce |
| Paulownia tomentosa | princess tree |
| Persicaria perfoliata | mile-a-minute |
| Phalaris arundinacea | reed canary grass |
| Phragmites australis ssp. australis | common reed |
| Pistia stratiotes | water lettuce |
| Potamogeton crispus | curly pondweed |
| Pueraria montana var. lobata | kudzu |
| Pyrus calleryana | Callery pear |
| Rhamnus cathartica | European buckthorn |
| Rosa multiflora | multiflora rose |
| Sagittaria sagittifolia | arrowhead |
| Salix fragilis | crack willow |
| Salvinia minima | common salvinia |
| Salvinia molesta | giant salvinia |
| Sparganium erectum | simple bur-reed |
| Stratiotes aloides | water soldier |
| Trapa natans | water chestnut |
| Typha angustifolia | narrowleaf cattail |
| Typha x glauca | hybrid cattail |
| Ulmus pumila | Siberian elm |
| Vincetoxicum nigrum | black swallowwort |
Check plants against Ohio law →
Informational only, not legal advice. Lists change; always check the official source linked above before you buy, sell, plant or move a plant. Lists checked 2026-10-14.