It was introduced from Europe so in that sense it is an invasive plant but each state has it's own list of what is considered invasive and what is not. Right now only three starts are listed on the USDA list.

I actually like it, but I would pull it if I had to.
another bad one is the gooseneck loosestrife.
thank you for the info
cindy

It is taking over a wooded lot near my house. On the other hand, that lot has been infested with garlic mustard. I'm watching it like a sequel of Godzilla versus King Kong. I'd say that Dame's Rocket acts like an invasive, seems to be suddenly increasing it's range and density, and looks like it could crowd out natives. But I haven't seen anything on what effect it actually has in wooded areas.

I've seen it displacing natives along wooded bluffs in the driftless area of wisconsin and illinois.

Thanks, Ill keep my eye on it. If only it could displace the garlic mustard weed and Stilt grass. LOL

It dances in, hangs around for 2 or 3 years, and then moves on. It was at the edge of the woods, now its gone, but in a nearby vacant lot, with disturbed subsoil, it was all over the place this spring,- we had sustained, algid killing, cold. Seeing a lot of it, on disturbed soil, has probably worried people enough to put it on the invasives list. We brought some home when I was a kid, because it was pretty and smelled lovely. It only lasted about 4 years with occasional hand reseeding. It didn't last in the vacant lot we took it from either [zone 7]. If you don't wan't it seeding, you can snip off the seeds, It is hard to pull up - why bother, you can clip it short. It may not have liked the cat [sand] box dumped there either. It's a short lived perennial and won't take over.
Maybe it's worse in cold zones. It survives to zone 3, and there are fewer species up north. The Wisconson site, lists it as invasive, and said that this plant was introduced in the 1600s. Compared to many weeds, down here, it's not that bad.
Please mention if you've seen a sustained problem, especially in zones colder than 6.
It seemed someone on another thread/forum, in Pennsylvania, said it didn't last, there either.

WoW ! I never heard of stilt grass before, but there is a little of it ! Guess I'll have to go after it, to slow the onslaught.

It would be great if civic groups could be educated and mobilized to go after invasives, especially together with younger groups, like scouts.

Here is a link that might be useful: dames rocket

Thanks , It doesnt seem to be big problem in our County yet. I see it around but I just dont see it as big of a problem as mustard weed.
Thanks for the link, I put it into my favs to refer to.

In my opinion Dame's Rocket is as bad as garlic mustard where I live. It creates dense single species stands that last for years. It grows in the same habitats as garlic mustard but seems more tolerant of wetter and dryer soils as well as more sun than garlic mustard. Most people where I live think it is a native wildflower, this spring there was even a photo that had a caption saying it was a wildflower in an article about a nearby state park in my local paper.

Sounds like it is really dreadful in cold areas Zones 3-4, and not so bad in zones 6-7.
The giant knotweed, that's really getting established along roadsides here [so disheartening], can be eradicated in a year or two by frequent cutting [every week or two]. The road crews can't cut it under guard rails and down ditches though, and it spreads. The D-Rocket is probably vulnerable too, though it can be tough to cut.

'Dense single species stands, that last for years.' That is one scarey sentence.

Bug pests will look out for balance, in a couple of dozen years. Is purple loosestrife, still as dominant in bogs, or has it been discovered by local pests?
Pests will eventally discover Dames rocket, but it might take them longer in the cold.

Invasive is as invasive does. Different climates, different conditions. I love Dame's Rocket but the plant that seems too friendly is the wild version of Ageratum. For some reason, ours have white flowers, not blue, but I pull them up by the handfuls. Otherwise, there would be nothing left!

I have some growing and have some friends who want some. WHEN would you pull the seed pods? NOW or wait until frost or when. THX

It isn't invasive in my garden. I have lived here for 25 years, and it has been here longer than that. It pops up here and there, and blooms beautifully, early in the season. But then I always deadhead most of it before it goes to seed, just letting a few of them actually reseed, so that might be the reason why I'm not up to my ears with it..

Dames Rocket/Sweet Rocket (aka Hesperis matronalis)is a biennial, the same as garlic mustard. They spread millions of seeds everywhere, so can be difficult to eradicate once they move into an area. Colour ranges frm white to lavender to medium purple. BE WARNED!