List of edible invasive species

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by editing the page to add missing items, with references to reliable sources.

In 2010, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration campaigned for people to "eat lionfish" to counter their introduction to the Caribbean.

Eating invasive species has been suggested by people such as ecologist Joe Roman as a way of reducing their numbers. ^[1] This is a list of cases where this has been suggested, tried and/or is now established.

Plants

• Armenian blackberry ( Rubus armeniacus ). ^[2]
• Autumn olive ( Elaeagnus umbellata ), invasive to central and northeastern United States, and Europe. ^[3]
• Burdock ( Arctium spp.) - was introduced to Europe, ^[4] leaves, flowers and roots are edible. ^[5]
• Dandelion ( Taraxacum spp.) ^[6]
• Evergreen blackberry (Rubus laciniatus), invasive in the United States, Canada and Australia. The fruit is edible. ^{[7] [8]}
• Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), invasive in the United States and Australia. The bulb, foliage, flowers and fruits are edible. ^{[9] [10]}
• Garlic mustard ( Alliaria petiolata ), ^[11] invasive in North America.
• Jackfruit ( Artocarpus heterophyllus ), invasive to Brazil. ^[12]
• Japanese knotweed ( Reynoutria japonica spp.) - was introduced to the United States from East Asia, ^[13] shoots are edible and the roots are used for medicinal purposes. ^[14]
• Kudzu ( Pueraria spp.) ^[15]
• Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), invasive in the United States and Canada. The leaves are edible. ^[16]
• Palmer's amaranth ( Amaranthus palmeri ) ^[17]
• Prickly pear cactus, invasive in Australia, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Hawaii. The fruit and pads are edible. ^[18]
• Water caltrop (Trapa spp.). ^[19]
• Water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes ), ^[20] introduced in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, and New Zealand; invasive in many of these areas. ^[21]
• Watercress (Nasturtium officinale), invasive in North America. ^[22] The leaves, stems, and fruit can be eaten raw or cooked. ^[23]
• Wild parsnip ( Pastinaca sativa ). ^[24]
• Wintercress ( Barbarea vulgaris spp.) - invasive, ^[25] leaves are edible. ^[26]

Animals

• American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) ^[27]
• Asian carp ^[28]
• Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
• Brown trout (Salmo trutta)
• Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
• Cane toad (Rhinella marina) ^[29]
• Green shore crab ^[30] (Carcinus maenas)
• Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)
• Common carp (Cyprinus carpio)
• Eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
• Eurasian ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua)
• Domestic pig (Sus scrofa domesticus)
• Domestic rabbit ^[31] (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus)
• Goat (Capra aegagrus hircus)
• Giant Snakehead (Channa micropeltes)
• Nutria (Myocastor coypus)
• Green iguana (Iguana iguana)
• Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides)
• Marbled crayfish (Procambarus virginalis)
• Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) ^[32]
• Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)
• Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)
• Nile perch (Lates niloticus)
• Lionfish ( Pterois spp.)
• Quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis)
• Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
• Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus)
• Snails

See also

• Lists of invasive species

References

1. Michael Snyder (19 March 2017), "Can We Really Eat Invasive Species into Submission?", Scientific American
2. "Field Guide for Managing Himalayan Blackberry in the Southwest" (PDF). United States Department of Agriculture. June 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 20, 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
3. "Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive)". CABI. 6 November 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
4. "Common burdock - Invasive Species Council of British Columbia". bcinvasives.ca. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
5. Strong, Bronwyn. "Burdock–a weed, a medicine, and a delicacy. – Natural History Society of Maryland" . Retrieved 5 August 2023.
6. Szydlowski, Mike (12 April 2023). "Why the dandelion is one of the most successful plants in history". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
7. "European blackberries: Rubus fruticosus sp. agg". keyserver.lucidcentral.org. Queensland Government. 2018-06-20. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
8. "Rubus laciniatus". US Forest Service. 2008-04-07. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
9. "Foeniculum vulgare Mill". www.worldfloraonline.org. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
10. Spellenberg, Richard (2001) [1979]. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region (rev ed.). Knopf. pp. 339–340. ISBN   978-0-375-40233-3.
11. "Garlic Mustard: Invasive, Destructive, Edible". The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
12. "Danger or delight? Uphill battle for Brazil's huge jackfruit". AP NEWS. 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
13. "Japanese Knotweed". NEW YORK INVASIVE SPECIES (IS) INFORMATION. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
14. "Japanese Knotweed: Edible, Medicinal, Invasive!". Philadelphia Orchard Project. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
15. "Kudzu: The Invasive Vine that Ate the South". The Nature Conservancy. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
16. "Ohio Weedguide". weedguide.cfaes.osu.edu. Retrieved 2025-01-25.
17. "Palmer Amaranth | Invasive Species Program | Nebraska". unlcms.unl.edu. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
18. Bakewell-Stone, Petra (2023-04-25). Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear) (Report). doi: 10.1079/cabicompendium.37714 .
19. "NSW WeedWise - Water caltrop (Trapa species)". weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
20. Duke, James A. (1983). "Eichornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms". Handbook of Energy Crops. Purdue University.
21. Gannon, Mike. "Water Hyacinth--In and Out of Your Water Garden". Full Service Aquatics. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
22. "Nasturtium officinale". Nonindigenous Aquatic Species. 2006-07-05. Retrieved 2025-05-04.
23. Nyerges, Christopher (2016). Foraging Wild Edible Plants of North America: More than 150 Delicious Recipes Using Nature's Edibles. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN   978-1-4930-1499-6.
24. "Wild Parsnip: Pastinaca sativa" (PDF). Invasive Species Council of BC. April 2019. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
25. "Barbarea vulgaris (Yellow Rocketcress) Brassicaceae". www.lakeforest.edu. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
26. "Barbarea orthoceras (American Rocket, American Wintercress, American Yellow Rocket, Erectpod Wintercress, Wintercress, Winter Cress) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox". plants.ces.ncsu.edu. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
27. "Want to help control invasive species? Eat a bullfrog". PBS News. 2015-12-03. Retrieved 2025-11-25.
28. Upholt, Boyce (2018-11-12). "Can You Eat Asian Carp? Yes. And You Should". Sierra Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-26.
29. Archibald, Carla (2025-01-06). "Cane toads on the barbie? How eating invasive species might help manage them". The Conversation. Retrieved 2025-11-28.
30. Lenahan, Ian. "York, Maine startup turns invasive green crabs into popular restaurant fare". Foster's Daily Democrat. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
31. "Eating the invaders – Why Türkiye is putting lion, rabbit and squirrel on the menu". Fauna & Flora. Retrieved 2024-12-25.
32. Pritchard, Eleri G. "Invasive species: why Britain can't eat its way out of its crayfish problem". The Conversation. Retrieved 2021-08-17.