EPPO Global Database

Invasive tree species in Italy

Invasive alien tree species can have significant detrimental impacts on the habitats they invade often transforming ecosystems. Invasive alien tree species were identified for 20 Italian administrative regions from online databases, published papers and other online sources. In total 25 invasive alien tree species were included in the study (Table 1) and the majority of these were introduced to Italy during the 19^th century. The study showed that riparian forests are the most invaded forest type with 16 invasive alien tree species. Pedunculate oak forests, oak-hornbeam and hornbeam forests, maple-European ash and maple-lime forests, Mediterranean shrubland and chestnut forests all hosted more than 10 invasive alien tree species. The non-native tree species invading the highest number of forest types were Robinia pseudoacacia and Ailanthus altissima.

Table 1. 25 invasive alien tree species in Italy

Species	Family	EPPO Status	Native range	No. regions invasive
Acacia dealbata	Fabaceae	List IAP	Australia	2
Acacia mearnsii	Fabaceae		Australia	1
Acacia provincialis	Fabaceae		Australia	1
Acacia pycnantha	Fabaceae		Australia	1
Acacia saligna	Fabaceae		Australia	5
Acer negundo	Sapindaceae		North & Central America	6
Ailanthus altissima	Simaroubaceae	List IAP	China	20
Broussonetia papyrifera	Moraceae	Observation List	Asia	4
Elaeagnus pungens	Elaeagnaceae		Asia	1
Eucalyptus camaldulensis subsp. camaldulensis	Myrtaceae		Australia	1
Juglans nigra	Juglandaceae		North America	1
Ligustrum lucidum	Oleaceae		Asia	2
Parkinsonia aculeata	Fabaceae		Americas	2
Paulownia tomentosa	Paulowniaceae	Alert List	Asia	1
Platanus x hispanica	Platanaceae		Hybrid origin	1
Populus × canadensis	Salicaceae		Hybrid origin	2
Prunus laurocerasus	Rosaceae		EPPO region	3
Prunus serotina	Rosaceae	List IAP	North & Central America	3
Quercus rubra	Fagaceae		North America	2
Robinia pseudoacacia	Fabaceae		North America	17
Robinia viscosa	Fabaceae		North America	1
Sesbania punicea	Fabaceae	Observation List	South America	2
Trachycarpus fortunei	Arecaceae		Asia	3
Ulmus pumila	Ulmaceae		Asia	2
Vachellia karroo	Fabaceae		Southern Africa	1

Sources

Campagnaro T, Brundu G, Burrasccano S, Celesti-Grapow L, La Mantia T, Sitzia T, Badalamenti E (2022) Tree invasions in Italian forests. Forest Ecology and Management 521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2022.120382