Some garden plants spread into nature and push out the native Danish species. Here are the EU list and the national list, what is prohibited, what it means for the landscape gardener, the rules on giant hogweed, and when you may spray.
Introduction
An invasive species is a plant or animal that people have brought here and that spreads so strongly that it pushes out the native Danish species. Several of them came in as garden plants. That is why the rules matter to the landscape gardener: you could end up planting the problem — and you could be the one who has to remove it.
Two lists
- 01The EU list under Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 on invasive species. It has 114 species (Danish Agency for Green Land Conversion and Aquatic Environment, 2025).
- 02The national list (Executive Order no. 1285 of 12/11/2018, Annex 4). It includes Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa), Japanese knotweed, giant knotweed, Bohemian knotweed, black cherry, Canadian goldenrod, giant goldenrod, orange balsam and small balsam.
What is prohibited?
For the species on the lists it is forbidden to trade in and sell them, to grow them, to transport them — unless it is done to destroy the plant — and to release them into nature.
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