Land managers of natural areas recommend that residents of South Florida refrain from planting non-native plants in their yards, especially if they live near a natural area.  Too often non-native plants out compete Florida's native vegetation and replace them.  Non-native plants in their places of origin would be kept in check by local disease and insects but are not kept in check here.  Invasive plants that are threats in yards, parks, roadsides, canal banks, and natural areas include trees/palms, shrubs, vines, ferns, grasses/sedges, and herbaceous.  The list below is from Broward County Parks and Recreation Division, a publication titled "Invasive Plants in our Yards", December 2006.

For more information go to any of the following:

• Florida or Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council (http://www.fleppc.org/ or http://www.se-eppc.org/)
• The Nature Conservancy (www.nature.org/initiatives/invasivespecies/features/) 
• Florida Native Plant Society (www.fnps.org) 
• US Department of Agriculture (www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/weeds/)
• Plant Conservation Alliance "Weeds Gone Wild, Alien Plant Invaders of Natural Area" (www.nps.gov/plants/alien). 

TREES/PALMS

Acacia (Earleaf); Almond (Australian and Tropical); Apple (Rose)
Banyan (False); Beauty Leaf; Bishopwood; Carrotwood; Chinaberry
Fig (Laurel and Weeping); Flamegold; Guava; Hibiscus (Sea); Lead; Loquat
Mahoe (Seaside); Mango; Melaleuca; Mulberry (Paper); Oak (Silk); Orchid (Purple)
Palm (Areca, Chinese Fan, Senegal Date, Solitary, Queen, and Washington Fan)
Pepper (Brazilian); Pine (Australian, Suckering Australian)
Plum (Governor's, Jambolan)); Pongam; Rosewood (Indian); Sapodilla; Silk (Mimosa)
Tallow (Chinese); Trumpet; Tulip (African); Umbrella; Woman's Tongue

         

SHRUBS

Ardisis (Shoebutton), Bean (Castor), Berry (Turkey), Cassia (Christmas)
Chastetree (Simpleleaf), Cherry (Surinam), Flower (Half), Guava (Strawberry)
Jessamine (Day, Gold Coast, Orange), Kopsia, Lantana, Nightshade (Twinleaf)
Stickbush, Violet (Phillippine)

VINES

Apple (Balsam), Cerci, Flower (Calico), Honeysuckle (Cape, Japanese)
Jasmine (Brazilian), Lilac (St. Vincents), Passionflower (Twolobe)
Passionfruit, Potato (Air), Poths, Rose (Wood & Roadside woodrose)
Vine (Arrowhead, Cat's claw, Coral, Noyau, Rubber), Yam (Winged)

FERNS

Brake (Chinese, Giant), Incised halberd, Old World Climbing, Sword (Asian), Wart

GRASSES AND SEDGES

Grass (Guinea, Molasses Napier, Natal, Para), Reed (Burma, Giant), Umbrella Plant

HERBACEOUS (no woody stems)

Asparagus (Sprenger's), Backbone (Devil's), Clover (Mexican), Ear (Elephant)
Four o'clock, Hemp (Bowstring, Sisal), Hyacinth (Water), Jew (Wandering)
Leaf (Lather), Lettuce (Water), Orchard (Ground), Perwinkle (Madagascar)
Petunia (Mexican), Plant (Chandlier, Green shrimp, Inch, Life, Oyster)
Porterweed (Blue), Primrose (Ganges), Spiderwort (Fringed), Taro (Wild)
Vine (Puncture), Wedelia