EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 06 - 2018 Num. article: 2018/131

Invasive alien plants along roadsides in Europe


Roadsides can play an important role in the spread of invasive alien plants by providing corridors which support establishment and spread throughout regions.   The turbulence of passing vehicles can act to facilitate the dispersal of propagules and the maintenance and construction along roadsides can spread rhizome material of species such as Fallopia japonica.  Through expert consultation and literature reviews the occurrence of invasive alien plants was evaluated in seven European countries Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, and Sweden.   Almost 500 invasive alien plant species were assessed for their occurrence along roadsides in the selected countries and 89 species were identified as occurring in this habitat.   The highest number of invasive alien plants were identified for Norway (45), followed by Slovenia (29) and Sweden (24), and the lowest number for Ireland (12). Thirteen species (see table 1) were identified to occur in four or more of the seven countries and of these three species were Fallopia species.  In addition, three shrub and tree species were among the most commonly found species along roadsides (Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudoacacia and Rosa rugosa). Broussonetia papyrifera (Moraceae) is a tree species which is also reported as present along roadsides in Slovenia.  The species is native to Asia and has been listed on the EPPO Alert List since 2016.  The authors of the present study highlight that further research is required to increase our knowledge on control methods for invasive alien plants along roadsides in order to prevent further spread.  


Table 1. The 13 species most commonly found along roadsides during the study.

Species

EPPO / EU List

Family

Origin

Country

Ailanthus altissima

EPPO List IAP

Simaroubaceae

Asia

AT, DE, NL, SI

Ambrosia artemisiifolia

EPPO List IAP

Asteraceae

N- America

AT, DE, NL, SI

Epilobium ciliatum


Onagraceae

N-America

NL, NO, SE, SI

Fallopia japonica   

EPPO List IAP

Polygonaceae

Asia

AT, DE, NL, IE, NO, SE, SI

Fallopia sachalinensis

EPPO List IAP

Polygonaceae

Asia

AT, DE, NL, IE, NO, SI

Fallopia x bohemica

EPPO List IAP

Polygonaceae

Hybrid

AT, DE, NL, IE, NO, SI

Heracleum mantegazzianum

EPPO List IAP/ EU List 

Apiaceae

Caucasus

AT, DE, NL, IE, NO, SE

Impatiens glandulifera

EPPO List IAP/ EU List 

Balsaminaceae

India

AT, DE, NL, IE, NO, SE, SI

Lupinus polyphyllus

EPPO Observation List

Fabaceae

N-America

DE, NO, SE, SI

Rosa rugosa


Rosaceae

E-Asia

DE, NL, NO, SE

Senecio inaequidens

EPPO List IAP

Asteraceae

S-Africa

AT, DE, NL, NO, SE, SI

Solidago canadensis

EPPO List IAP

Asteraceae

N-America

AT, DE, NL, NO, SE, SI

Solidago gigantea

EPPO List IAP

Asteraceae

N-America

AT, DE, NL, NO, SE, SI








EPPO List IAP: EPPO List of Invasive Alien Plants.

EU List: list of invasive alien species of Union concern. 



Sources

Follak S, Eberius M, Essl F, Furdős A, Sedlacek N, Trognitz F (2018) Invasive alien plants along roadsides in Europe. EPPO Bulletin 48(early view). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/epp.12465