opsis ▁lance ol ata , ▁the ▁L ance - le aved ▁core opsis , ▁is ▁a ▁North ▁American ▁species ▁of ▁ ▁T ick seed ▁in ▁the ▁sun flow er ▁family . ▁It ▁is ▁native ▁to ▁the ▁eastern ▁and ▁central ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁natural ized ▁in ▁Canada , ▁the ▁western ▁United ▁States , ▁Mes o amer ica , ▁South ▁America , ▁South ▁Africa ▁and ▁eastern ▁Australia . ▁ ▁Description ▁Core opsis ▁lance ol ata ▁is ▁a ▁per enn ial ▁plant ▁sometimes ▁att aining ▁a ▁height ▁of ▁over ▁ 6 0   cm ▁( 2 ▁feet ). ▁The ▁plant ▁produces ▁yellow ▁flower ▁heads ▁in ▁late ▁summer , ▁each ▁head ▁containing ▁both ▁ray ▁flor ets ▁and ▁disc ▁flor ets . ▁ ▁As ▁an ▁invas ive ▁plant ▁Int rodu ced ▁to ▁Japan ▁and ▁China ▁as ▁an ▁orn amental ▁species ▁and ▁later ▁used ▁extens ively ▁in ▁green ification ▁projects , ▁particularly ▁along ▁river ▁banks ▁and ▁rail ways , ▁Core opsis ▁lance ol ata ▁is ▁now ▁known ▁to ▁be ▁out comp eting ▁native ▁plant ▁life ▁and ▁has ▁since ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁been ▁l abeled ▁an ▁invas ive ▁species ▁by ▁the ▁In vas ive ▁Ali en ▁Species ▁Act . ▁The ▁cultiv ation , ▁trans plant ation , ▁sale , ▁or ▁purchase ▁of ▁Core opsis ▁lance ol ata ▁is ▁now ▁prohib ited ▁and ▁the ▁plant ▁has ▁become ▁the ▁subject ▁of ▁a ▁nation wide ▁destruction ▁campaign , ▁even ▁ear ning ▁a ▁spot ▁on ▁the ▁E colog ical ▁Society ▁of ▁Japan ' s ▁ 1 0 0 ▁Wor