Invasive Plants in Virginia

What is an Invasive Plant?

Invasive plants pose a serious risk to ecosystems in Virginia. These plants are non-native or introduced to an ecosystem and can cause economic or environmental harm. They are costly to control, reduce productivity within forests, can grow faster than native species, and spread quickly. Invasive plants can be trees, shrubs, grasses, or other herbaceous species. There are many species of invasive plants that threaten Virginia’s forests and landscapes, as well as tools to help identify and combat these species.

Identification of Invasive Plants in Virginia

Some examples of common invasive species found in Virginia are tree-of-heaven, mimosa, chinaberry, Japanese honeysuckle, oriental bittersweet, autumn olive, kudzu, Japanese stiltgrass, and multiflora rose.

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Control of Invasive Plants in Virginia

The first action everyone can take to help with controlling invasive plants in Virginia is to avoid introducing new invasive plants; always plant native plant species. History has taught us that the permanent eradication of a weed species from a geographic region is not a realistic goal. However, there are treatment and control options to reduce or eliminate invasive plants in a limited area.

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