Invasive plants in High Park

Invasive plants in High Park / Plants of Toronto's High Park

Invasive plant species pose some of the greatest challenges to the preservation and restoration of High Park's natural environment. To learn more about how City staff and volunteers are dealing with these species, see Controlling Invasive Plants and High Park Stewards.

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Greater Celandine Field. Photo: Sharon Lovett

Greater Celandine Field. Photo: Sharon Lovett

Herbaceous Plants

Dog-strangling Vine
Garlic Mustard
Sweet-white Clover
Himalayan Balsam
Purple Loosestrife
Greater Celandine
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese Hedge Parsley

Shrubs & Trees

Common/European Buckthorn
Euonymus
Asian Bittersweet
Tree of Heaven
Norway Maple

See also Phragmites

Is this plant native or invasive?

Test your knowledge: guess first and then move your cursor over the photo (or touch the photo) to check your answer.

Garlic Mustard field. Photo: Sharon Lovett

Garlic Mustard field. Photo: Sharon Lovett

Invasive Plants Resources

Quick guides

Invasive Plants in the GTA Pocket Guide - Evergreen has created an excellent brochure that you can print out and carry with you. A quick guide for identifying some of the invasive and non-native plants that affect natural landscapes in Toronto and surrounding areas.
Another useful guide that references even more species by Ontario Invasive Plant Council.

References and documents

A Guide to the Identification and Control of Exotic Invasive Species in Ontario’s Hardwood Forests by Lisa M. Derickx and Pedro M. Antunes PDF (7.2 Mb) published by the Invasive Species Centre in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Managing and Controlling Invasive Plants in Ontario guide and appendix by Ontario Invasive Plant Council.
Hazardous Plants in Toronto by City of Toronto.

More resources and websites

Ontario Invasive Plant Council and their publications - Best management practices for many invasive plants.
Management of Invasive Species in Toronto Parks - Steve Smith has generously provided us with a copy of his presentation to the High Park Stewards on Feb. 24, 2013. This is an excellent practical resource guide. Steve Smith is the founder of Urban Forest Associates Inc. (UFORA).
Invasive Species Centre - Early Detection and Rapid Response Network of volunteer citizen scientists across multiple communities in Ontario.
Invading Species Awareness Program website. They have a mobile phone app you can download to report an invasive.
Toronto Urban Forest Management: Controlling Invasive Plants.
Centre for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health website and their Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.
Global Invasive Species Database website. Check-out their 100 of the worst.

Articles, Galleries and Guides

Article Category: Invasive plants in High Park, Plants of Toronto's High Park

Queen Anne’s Lace…and So Much Worse

Article Category: Invasive plants in High Park, Plants of Toronto's High Park

Some Invasive Plant Species in High Park Herbaceous Plants

Article Category: Invasive plants in High Park, Plants of Toronto's High Park

More Invasive Plant Species in High Park Woody Species

Article Category: Invasive plants in High Park, Plants of Toronto's High Park

Dog-strangling Vine in High Park Invasive Plant

Article Category: Invasive plants in High Park, Plants of Toronto's High Park

Phragmites in High Park

What's New?

More News and Updates

Phragmites Removal Project at Grenadier Pond

Phragmites removal at Grenadier Pond is tentatively scheduled for September 16 to 20, 2024, weather dependent. The following information has been provided by Urban Forestry: Our goal for this project is to significantly reduce the Phragmites population size over the…

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Algae warning at Grenadier Pond

Signs warning of blue-green algae have been posted at Grenadier Pond (sign first noticed on Sept. 1, 2024). Blue-green algae can rapidly increase to form a large mass or “bloom” when conditions are favourable. For more information on harmful algal…

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HIGH PARK MOVEMENT STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION UPDATE

The following highlights are based on the High Park Movement Strategy Implementation Update. You can subscribe directly for future updates here. Public Information Session September 10, 2024 The City is partnering with TRCA to undertake a road ecology study within…

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