Illegal garden plants
Did you know that garden plants make up approximately 40% of the alien plant species that are spreading in Norway?
Some of these spread incredibly well, and outcompete the local flora. In 2016, Norway’s first list of alien plant species was introduced. This list constitutes species of which introduction, release and trade is prohibited in Norway (according to ‘Regulations on alien organisms’ §§ 5 and 9). The list was further expanded in 2021. Below you can see all 28 illegal plants.
If one of the specified plants was already present in your garden before the ban was introduced, you are not obliged to remove it. Still, you are not allowed to share cuttings, seeds or other plant parts with other people, and you must not move the plant or parts of it, or throw garden waste into nature. In addition, you yourself are responsible for making sure that the illegal species does not spread out of your garden. Although many alien plant species are still legal in Norway, they can still be harmful to Norwegian nature. Choose garden plants carefully, keep an eye on whether they “jump fences”, and if in doubt, you can always check the risk assessment of the individual species on the Norwegian Alien Species List.
Campanula latifolia subsp. macrantha . Photo: Eli Fremstad / Artsdatabanken