Invasive Plants in Virginia

Collage of invasive plants - Row 1, L to R: Japanese Honeysuckle, Rose of Sharon, Porcelainberry, Common Daylily, Mimosa, Liriope
Row 2, L to R: Periwinkle, Nandina, English Ivy, Burning Bush — Row 1, L to R: Japanese Honeysuckle, Rose of Sharon, Porcelainberry, Common Daylily, Mimosa, Liriope
Row 2, L to R: Periwinkle, Nandina, English Ivy, Burning Bush

Gardeners’ increased interest in native plants has led to a growing awareness of the invasive plants that can threaten natives’ survival in natural areas within our state and the broader Mid-Atlantic region. Certain non-native species, some of which were introduced to the United States as much as 200 years ago, can escape from cultivation in our own yards and cause environmental harm in natural areas through their prolific spread by suppressing native vegetation, reducing biodiversity, and destroying habitat for wildlife. According to the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group, the damage caused by invasive species costs Virginia more than 1 billion dollars a year.

In September 2024, the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation updated their official list of invasive plants that pose a threat to the state’s forests, marshes, wetlands, and waterways. It contains 103 species, 13 of which are new additions.

Virginia Invasive Plant Species List

While 48% of the plants on this list are still available for sale in Virginia, legislation has been enacted requiring that 39 of the most significant invasive species be labeled at their point of sale in plant nurseries, effective on January 1, 2027. This will allow gardeners to make informed decisions regarding their plant purchases.

39 Invasive Plants That Must Be Labeled at Point of Sale in Virginia – HB-1941

As of 2019, 116 invasive species have been documented in the City of Alexandria by Natural Resource Manager Rod Simmons. On Arlington County’s most recent list, updated in July 2024 by Invasive Plant Coordinator Jennifer Soles, 204 plants are categorized as invasive, with another 109 designated as posing a threat because have been documented as invasive in other regions or are displaying invasive traits.

While the lists are not regulatory, these local jurisdictions have compiled them to serve as educational references for gardeners who can take action to prevent the further spread of invasive species by removing them from their properties and/or not planting them.

The following posts, written by Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills, describe introduced non-native plants found primarily in parks and natural areas, as opposed to ones commonly sold in nurseries and big box stores. They were written as part of a comprehensive series on invasive plants in 2020.