EPPO Global Database

EPPO Reporting Service no. 11 - 2023 Num. article: 2023/265

Invasive alien plants in Russia


The first list of invasive alien plants in Russia was compiled for North-West Russia in 2003 and included 22 taxa. Following this, in 2006, work began on a Black Book of the Flora of Central Russia, resulting in a monograph of 52 invasive alien plants. Following this, additional blacklists for other regions in Russia were developed. In 2015, the Commission on Invasive species of the Botanical Gardens of Russia proposed to develop a unified blacklist for Russia. A team of scientists worked to review all entries for invasive alien plants in Russia and a final list was prepared. The results detail that there are currently 584 invasive alien vascular plant species from 87 families recorded in Russia. Table 1 details the most widespread species based on the number of administration units in Russia the species is recorded in. The study categories these invasive alien plants into groups based on their level of invasiveness. Out of 584 species, 107 have been placed in the highest invasive category, as these species are invading natural and semi-natural habitats, and their establishment will change the structure of the ecosystems and disrupt their processes and functions. 


Table 1. Widespread invasive alien plants in Russia

Species

Family 

EPPO Status

Origin

Acer negundo

Sapindaceae

-

North America

Bidens frondosa

Asteraceae

EPPO List IAP

North America

Echinocystis lobata

Cucurbitaceae

-

North America

Elodea canadensis

Hydrocharitaceae

-

North America

Erigeron annuus

Asteraceae

-

North America

Erigeron canadensis

Asteraceae

-

North America

Heracleum sosnowskyi

Apiaceae

EPPO A2 List

Caucasus

Impatiens glandulifera

Balsaminaceae

EPPO List IAP

Asia (Himalayas)

Lupinus polyphyllus

Fabaceae

EPPO List IAP

North America

Solidago canadensis

Asteraceae

EPPO List IAP

North America


Sources

Senator S, Vinogradova YK (2023) [Invasive plants of Russia: inventory results, distribution features and management issues]. Advances of Modern Biology (Успехи современной биологии) 143(4), 393–402 (in Russian)