Invasion risk of ornamental plants marketed in Spain
Horticulture is a major pathway for the introduction of non-native plant species. Some of these species may become invasive in areas where they are introduced. In Spain, there are an estimated 914 commercial ornamental outdoor plant species sold, of which 700 are non-native marketed species. The current study evaluated the potential of invasiveness for these species using an adaption of the Australian Weed Risk Assessment protocol. Using this tool, an ‘Attention list’ was compiled which includes 68 plant species that are commercially available in Spain. All species are climatically suitable for Spain, non-regulated and invasive or potentially invasive (Table 1). In addition, a green list of 7 species which are not climatically suitable or invasive elsewhere was produced, along with a watch list of 27 species (with varying levels of impact) and an uncertainty list of 161 species. Finally, a priority list of 8 species which are regulated either by the Spanish Catalogue of Non-native Invasive Species or the List of Invasive Alien Species of Union concern (EU) but still commercially available in nurseries, was established (Acacia dealbata, Agave americana, Ailanthus altissima, Buddleja davidii, Cortaderia selloana, Opuntia ficus-indica, Pennisetum setaceum and Tradescantia fluminensis).
Table 1. Spanish ‘Attention list’ of 68 plant species.
Species | Family | Origin | Status |
Acacia longifolia | Fabaceae | Australia | Invasive |
Acacia saligna* | Fabaceae | Australia | Invasive |
Adiantum raddianum | Pteridaceae | S. America | Naturalised |
Agave sisalana | Agavaceae | S. America | Invasive |
Albizia julibrissin | Fabaceae | Asia | Naturalised |
Allamanda cathartica | Apocynaceae | S. America | Absent natural environment |
Alocasia macrorrhizos | Araceae | Asia | Absent natural environment |
Annona cherimola | Annonaceae | S. America | Naturalised |
Archontophoenix cunninghamiana | Arecaceae | Australia | Absent natural environment |
Atriplex semibaccata | Amaranthaceae | Australia | Naturalised |
Bacopa monnieri | Plantaginaceae | N. Am, S. Am, | Naturalised |
Berberis thunbergii | Berberidaceae | Asia | Absent natural environment |
Bidens aurea | Asteraceae | N. America | Invasive |
Broussonetia papyrifera | Moraceae | Asia | Naturalised |
Canna indica | Cannaceae | S. America | Naturalised |
Casuarina equisetifolia | Casuarinaceae | Australia | Casual |
Cereus uruguayanus | Cactaceae | S. America | Casual |
Cestrum nocturnum | Solanaceae | S. America | Casual |
Cinnamomum camphora | Lauraceae | Asia | Absent natural environment |
Cornus sericea | Cornaceae | N. America | Absent natural environment |
Cotoneaster horizontalis | Rosaceae | Asia | Absent natural environment |
Elaeagnus angustifolia | Elaeagnaceae | Asia | Invasive |
Eucalyptus globulus | Myrtaceae | Australia | Invasive |
Eucalyptus sideroxylon | Myrtaceae | Australia | Casual |
Eugenia uniflora | Myrtaceae | S. America | Casual |
Euonymus fortunei | Celastraceae | Asia | Absent natural environment |
Ficus pumila | Moraceae | Asia | Naturalised |
Ficus rubiginosa | Moraceae | Australia | Naturalised |
Gleditsia triacanthos | Fabaceae | N. America | Invasive |
Grevillea robusta | Proteaceae | Australia | Casual |
Gypsophila paniculata | Caryophyllaceae | Asia/ Europe | Casual |
Imperata cylindrica | Poaceae | Asia | Naturalised |
Kalanchoe daigremontiana | Crassulaceae | Africa | Casual |
Lantana camara | Verbenaceae | S. America | Invasive |
Leptospermum scoparium | Myrtaceae | Australia | Absent natural environment |
Leucaena leucocephala | Fabaceae | N. America | Invasive |
Lonicera japonica | Caprifoliaceae | Asia | Invasive |
Lupinus polyphyllus | Fabaceae | N. America | Naturalised |
Melia azedarach | Meliaceae | Asia/ Australia | Naturalised |
Miscanthus sinensis | Poaceae | Asia | Casual |
Morus nigra | Moraceae | Asia | Casual |
Nandina domestica | Berberidaceae | Asia | Casual |
Nymphaea odorata | Nymphaeaceae | N. America | Absent natural environment |
Passiflora caerulea | Passifloraceae | S. America | Invasive |
Paulownia tomentosa | Paulowniaceae | Asia | Casual |
Pennisetum villosum | Poaceae | Africa | Naturalised |
Phoenix canariensis | Arecaceae | Africa | Naturalised |
Phormium tenax | Xanthorrhoeaceae | Pacific | Invasive |
Phragmites australis | Poaceae | N. America | Naturalised |
Physalis angulata | Solanaceae | Americas | Absent natural environment |
Physalis peruviana | Solanaceae | S. America | Casual |
Pinus radiata | Pinaceae | N. America | Casual |
Portulaca oleracea | Portulacaceae | Africa / Europe | Casual |
Prunus serotina | Rosaceae | N. America | Casual |
Psidium cattleianum | Myrtaceae | S. America | Naturalised |
Psidium guajava | Myrtaceae | N. America | Invasive |
Rhus typhina | Anacardiaceae | N. America | Naturalised |
Robinia pseudoacacia | Fabaceae | N. America | Invasive |
Sansevieria trifasciata | Asparagaceae | Africa | Naturalised |
Sesbania punicea | Fabaceae | S. America | Casual |
Spiraea japonica | Rosaceae | Asia | Casual |
Stenotaphrum secundatum | Poaceae | Africa | Invasive |
Tagetes minuta | Asteraceae | N. America | Naturalised |
Tecoma stans | Bignoniaceae | Americas | Casual |
Wisteria sinensis | Fabaceae | Asia | Casual |
Yucca aloifolia | Agavaceae | N. America | Casual |
Zantedeschia aethiopica | Araceae | Africa | Casual |
Ziziphus jujuba | Rhamnaceae | Asia | Naturalised |
* As of July 2019, A. saligna was added to the List of Invasive alien species of Union concern (EU) and thus is regulated in the EU (EPPO RS 2019/174).
Sources
Bayόn A, Vilá M (2019) Horizon scanning to identify invasion risk of ornamental plants marketed in Spain. NeoBiota, 52, 47-86.