Gardening enthusiasts in Texas have an abundance of options for cultivating beautiful landscapes. However, some plants are strictly off-limits due to their invasive nature or threats to local ecosystems. To keep your garden within the law, here’s a list of 12 plants that are illegal to grow in Texas.
Giant Salvinia (Salvinia molesta)

Giant Salvinia is a highly invasive aquatic plant in Texas. It spreads quickly, forming thick mats that block sunlight and reduce oxygen in water. This harms native plants, fish, and other wildlife. Originally introduced as an ornamental plant, it now poses a serious ecological threat. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department classifies it as a problematic aquatic plant. Growing, owning, or transporting it is illegal and can result in fines.
Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)

Hydrilla is another aquatic plant that wreaks havoc in Texas waterways. This invasive species grows aggressively, clogging water systems and disrupting ecosystems. It can negatively impact recreational activities like fishing and boating and compete with native plants for essential resources. It is enlisted as one of the Federal noxious weeds, and the Texas government prohibits people from adding it to any Texas water bodies.
Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Water Hyacinth is a highly aggressive and invasive batch of species. They can form dense mats on the surface of ponds and lakes. These mats block sunlight, deplete oxygen levels, and can lead to fish die-offs. As a non-native plant, it poses significant ecological risks, and growing, possessing, or transporting it anywhere in Texas is illegal.
Purple Loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)

Although admired for the vibrant purple flowers, Purple Loosestrife aren’t originally from North America and can pose serious threats to local ecosystems. This invasive plant is naturally aggressive and competes with native vegetation for essential resources, disrupting wetland habitats. Texas prohibits its possession, transport, or cultivation to safeguard the state’s biodiversity.
Kudzu (Pueraria montana)

Kudzu is infamous for overtaking and destroying other plants by forming dense blankets of leaves, girdling woody stems, and even toppling trees and shrubs with its immense weight. This vine grows astonishingly fast, reaching up to 60 feet in a single growing season. Due to its aggressive spread and destructive nature, it is listed as a noxious and invasive plant by the Texas Department of Agriculture, making its sale, distribution, and import strictly illegal.
Chinese Tallow Tree (Triadica sebifera)

Despite its heart-shaped leaves and vibrant fall colors, the Chinese Tallow Tree poses significant ecological risks. Its aggressive growth displaces native plants, forming monocultures that disrupt local ecosystems. The tree’s leaves, fruits, and sap are toxic to humans and animals, including pets and livestock. It also accelerates nutrient runoff, enriching water with phosphates and depleting oxygen levels, harming aquatic life.
Giant Reed (Arundo donax)

Giant Reed overruns riversides and stream channels, forming dense monocultures that displace native plants and disrupt water flow. It ability to grow fast and spread through floating fragments makes it highly invasive. Flammable and fire-prone, it poses ecological and safety risks, placing it on Texas’s prohibited noxious plants list.
Tropical Soda Apple (Solanum viarum)

Tropical Soda Apple, a thorny perennial shrub standing 3 to 6 feet tall, is listed as a Federal Noxious Weed. It disrupts ecosystems by crowding out native plants and lowering biodiversity. It also acts as a host for crop-damaging viruses, posing a serious threat to Texas agriculture and natural areas.
Johnson Grass (Sorghum halepense)

Johnsongrass, a hardy perennial native to the Mediterranean, was introduced to Texas in the 1800s as forage. However, it can cause cyanide poisoning in livestock, especially after stressors like frost or chemical application. Due to its threat to livestock, Texas made it illegal to plant Johnsongrass on rented land in 1895 and fined railroads for failing to control it.
Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)

Russian Olive is a highly invasive tree that disrupts local ecosystems by outcompeting native plants. It depletes soil nutrients and water reserves, especially in riparian zones where it thrives after cottonwoods have expired. It has the ability to fix nitrogen in its roots and this allows it to dominate areas, making it a significant threat to Texas’s natural habitats.
Salt Cedar (Tamarisk spp.)

Saltcedars, which can grow 5 to 20 feet tall, are fast-spreading shrubs or trees that pose significant threats to Texas ecosystems. With pale pink or white flowers, they quickly crowd out native plants and disrupt water systems by tapping into deep water sources. These plants offer little ecological benefit and are classified as noxious invaders in Texas.
Torpedograss (Panicum repens)

Torpedograss is a highly resilient plant that thrives in damp soil and can withstand extreme drought conditions once established. Its invasive nature makes it incredibly difficult to control or remove and quickly spreads across lawns and landscapes. Due to its potential danger to local ecosystems, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) prohibits its cultivation.
Japanese Dodder (Cuscuta japonica)

Originally introduced to Texas on kudzu plants, the Japanese Dodder was first discovered in San Antonio, Texas, Quincy, Florida, and Clemson University. Although initially eradicated, it was rediscovered in Houston in 2001. By 2010, the plant had spread to over 245 sites. Efforts by local authorities in Houston to control it have been ongoing, with strict regulations now preventing dodder seed shipments into the U.S.
Chinaberry (Melia azedarach)

Chinaberry trees are highly invasive and form dense thickets, outcompeting native plants by growing rapidly from root sprouts. Their leaf litter alters soil chemistry, hindering the growth of other vegetation. All parts of the tree, including the fruit, are known to be toxic to humans, pets, and livestock. The Texas Department of Agriculture lists it as a prohibited plant.