Invasive Species
Protect Our Local Environment
Know the Invasive Species!
Invasive plants can harm native ecosystems, block waterways, and damage property. This information shows what to look out for in North Miami and ways you can help prevent their spread.
Let’s work together to keep our parks, yards, and neighborhoods healthy!
- Air Potato
- Australian Pine
- Brazilian Pepper
- carrotwood
- castor bean
- Melaleuca Tree
- norfolk pine
- oyster plant
- Portia Tree
- Queensland Umbrella
- rubber plant
- Snake Plant
- Shoebutton Ardisia
- syngonium
- Wedelia
Dioscorea Bulbifera
The air potato smothers native plants by blocking sunlight and outcompeting them for space and nutrients. It spreads rapidly through aerial tubers (potato-like bulbs) and underground roots, making it difficult to control once established.
How to Stop It:
Remove air potato vines by hand, be sure to pull out the entire root system to prevent regrowth. Pick up and properly dispose of any bulbils (the potato-like growths) to stop them from spreading. Regular monitoring and early removal are key to protecting your yard and nearby natural areas.
Casuarina Equisetifolia
The Australian pine spreads rapidly across South Florida’s coastlines, dunes, and canal banks. Its thick shade blocks sunlight and its leaves contain compounds that inhibit the growth of other plants, creating a "sterile" environment under the trees.
How to Stop It
Small saplings can be pulled out by hand, but larger trees must be cut and immediately treated with an herbicide like triclopyr or imazapyr. Always remove fallen branches and seed pods, and report any infestations in natural areas.
Schinus Terebinthifolia
Brazilian pepper forms dense thickets that crowd out native plants and reduce wildlife habitat. It produces red berries that are easily spread by birds, helping it take over quickly. Its thick canopy blocks sunlight, altering entire ecosystems.
How to Stop It:
Small seedlings can be hand-pulled, but mature trees require more intensive removal. After cutting the tree at the base, apply a targeted herbicide like triclopyr (commonly found in products labeled for woody plant control) directly to the stump to prevent regrowth. Do not simply cut it down without herbicide, this will cause it to sprout even more aggressively.
Cupaniopsis Anacardioides
Carrotwood is an ornamental tree introduced from Australia. It spreads rapidly due to birds and raccoons that eat and spread its seeds. Once established, it crowds out native plants, alters soil conditions, and forms dense roots that are difficult to remove.
How to Stop It
Small saplings can be pulled by hand, especially when the soil is wet. Larger trees must be cut and the stump immediately treated with a systemic herbicide like triclopyr. Target trees before they fruit in late winter or early spring to limit wildlife driven seed spread.
Ricinus Communis
Castor Bean stands out with bold leaves and spiky seed pod, found typically on the sides of roads or abandoned sites where soil has been disturbed. Each part of the plant contains ricin, a deadly compound, with the highest concentrations in its seeds.
How to Stop It
Handle with care, gloves are a must. Small plants can be pulled by the roots, but larger ones need to be cut and treated at the stump with a herbicide like triclopyr. Remove seed pods before they ripen to avoid accidental spread, and never compost any part of the plant due to its extreme toxicity.
Melaleuca Quinquenervia
The punk tree (Melaleuca) is an aggressive invader that takes over wetlands, pushing out native plants and drying out the landscape. It grows quickly, forms dense thickets, and produces thousands of wind-dispersed seeds. Its thick, papery bark and high oil content also make it a major fire hazard. Once established, it’s very difficult to remove without the right approach.
How to Stop It
To fully kill it, you must apply a targeted herbicide like triclopyr or imazapyr directly to the stump right after cutting. Do not mow or chip, as this can cause it to spread further. Ongoing monitoring and early treatment are key to preventing it from taking over.
Araucaria Heterophylla
The Norfolk Island Pine is commonly sold at big box garden centers, especially around the holidays. Though slow growing at first, this non-native tree can eventually reach over 100 feet tall. Its dense canopy shades out native plants, while its roots destabilize natural systems and out competes native vegetation.
How to Stop It
Young trees can be pulled or dug out, but larger Norfolk Pines must be cut at the stump and treated with an herbicide like triclopyr to prevent regrowth.
Tradescantia Spathacea
The Oyster Plant is a popular houseplant known for its purple and green leaves. However, if planted in the ground, Oyster Plant spreads quickly in South Florida’s climate, forming dense mats that push out native groundcovers and prevent natural regeneration.
How to Stop It
Keep Oyster Plants in pots or planters, never let it grow directly in the soil. If it’s already spreading, remove it carefully by hand (wear gloves, the sap can cause skin irritation) and dig out the roots to prevent regrowth. Never dump garden waste with Oyster Plant into natural areas or along roadsides, where it can easily take hold
Thespesia Populnea
The Portia Tree is a flowering ornamental often found in yards and along streets for its tropical look and salt tolerance. Its seeds travel by wind and water where it quickly takes over and blocks native growth.
How to Stop It
If you already have a Portia Tree, consider removing it before it spreads. Small trees can be pulled by hand, but larger ones should be cut down and the stump treated with herbicide (like triclopyr) to prevent regrowth. Always collect and properly dispose of seed pods, they float and help the tree spread to new areas.
Heptapleurum Actinophyllum
The Queensland umbrella tree is an ornamental plant that has become invasive in South Florida. It produces large clusters of red berries that birds spread to natural areas, where it quickly grows and crowds out native vegetation. Its dense canopy blocks sunlight and alters the natural balance of local ecosystems.
How to Stop It
Young seedlings can be pulled by hand, but mature trees should be cut and the stumps treated with herbicide such as triclopyr. Remove berries before they ripen to prevent spread by wildlife. Avoid planting this species in your yard.
Ricinus Communis (not an invasive, but a nuisance)
The Rubber Plant is a glossy leaved ornamental plant often sold at local nurseries and big box stores. While it’s popular as a houseplant, when planted outdoors in South Florida, it can become a nuisance. The Rubber Plant produces aerial roots that allow it to climb and spread aggressively. It can grow into massive trees, smothering native vegetation, damaging infrastructure, and even strangling other trees.
How to Stop It
Keep Rubber Plants in pots or indoors. Outdoor specimens should be cut at the base and treated with an herbicide like triclopyr to prevent regrowth. Wear gloves when handling, the milky sap can irritate skin.
Dracaena Trifasciata
Snake plant, also known as mother-in-law’s tongue, is a popular and harmless indoor plant, but when planted outdoors in South Florida, it becomes a serious invasive threat. It spreads underground, forming dense mats that choke out native groundcover and are extremely hard to remove once established.
How to Stop It:
Keep snake plants indoors or in pots, never plant them directly in the ground. If found growing outdoors, it must be carefully dug up. Even small leftover pieces can regrow, so thorough removal is essential. Regular checks and early action are the best way to keep this indoor favorite from becoming an outdoor problem.
Ardisia Elliptica
Shoebutton Ardisia is an invasive shrub that spreads quickly, forming dense clusters that are hard to remove and crowd out other landscaping. Birds eat the dark purple berries and drop the seeds across neighborhoods, helping it pop up in lawns, parks, and along sidewalks
How to Stop It
Remove any Shoebutton Ardisia on your property. Small plants can be pulled by hand, but larger shrubs should be cut and treated with an herbicide like triclopyr to prevent regrowth. Dispose of the berries carefully, leaving them behind will only spread the problem to your neighbors and nearby green spaces.
Syngonium Podophyllum
Castor Bean stands out with bold leaves and spiky seed pod, found typically on the sides of roads or abandoned sites where soil has been disturbed. Each part of the plant contains ricin, a deadly compound, with the highest concentrations in its seeds.
How to Stop It
Handle with care, gloves are a must. Small plants can be pulled by the roots, but larger ones need to be cut and treated at the stump with a herbicide that includes glyphosate or triclopyr. Remove seed pods before they ripen to avoid accidental spread, and never compost any part of the plant due to its extreme toxicity.
Sphagneticola Trilobata
Wedelia is a fast growing groundcover that forms dense mats, smothering native vegetation and preventing natural regeneration. Although it’s often still sold as an ornamental due to its bright yellow flowers, Wedelia is one of Florida’s most problematic invasive plants.
How to Stop It
Small patches can be pulled by hand, but all plant fragments must be removed, Wedelia easily resprouts from stems or roots left behind. For larger infestations, herbicides like glyphosate may be used with repeated treatments. You can replace Wedelia with Beach Sunflower: A Florida native that resembles Wedelia with its yellow flowers and ground covering habit.
Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2025. Atlas of Florida Plants. [S. M. Landry and K. N. Campbell (application development), USF Water Institute.] Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.