Asiatic Tearthumb – Polygonum perfoliatum IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 2 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Asiatic Tearthumb as a noxious weed.
West Virginia noxious weeds
West Virginia (WV) lists 14 plants as noxious weeds under W. Va. Code R. 61-14A-5. West Virginia's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell.
What plants are invasive in West Virginia?
West Virginia names 14 plants, including Purple Loosestrife, Tree of Heaven and Nodding Plumeless Thistle. A noxious-weed listing obliges control and limits movement; it does not by itself ban nursery sale. 13 of the 14 are also flagged invasive by GRIIS, which is an ecological finding rather than a ruling by West Virginia. Checked against W. Va. Code R. 61-14A-5 on July 20, 2026.
Autumn Olive – Elaeagnus umbellata IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 2 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Autumn Olive as a noxious weed.
Curly Plumeless Thistle – Carduus crispus IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 3 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Curly Plumeless Thistle as a noxious weed.
Japanese Barberry – Berberis thunbergii IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 16 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Japanese Barberry as a noxious weed.
Japanese Knotweed – Polygonum cuspidatum IntroducedListed
Recorded in 21 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Japanese Knotweed as a noxious weed.
Johnsongrass – Sorghum halepense IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 19 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Johnsongrass as a noxious weed.
Morrow's Honeysuckle – Lonicera morrowii IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 14 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Morrow's Honeysuckle as a noxious weed.
Nepalese Browntop – Microstegium vimineum IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 11 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Nepalese Browntop as a noxious weed.
Nodding Plumeless Thistle – Carduus nutans IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 6 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Nodding Plumeless Thistle as a noxious weed.
Poison Hemlock – Conium maculatum IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 21 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Poison Hemlock as a noxious weed.
Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum salicaria IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 12 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Purple Loosestrife as a noxious weed.
Spiny Plumeless Thistle – Carduus acanthoides IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 8 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Spiny Plumeless Thistle as a noxious weed.
Tatarian Honeysuckle – Lonicera tatarica IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 10 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Tatarian Honeysuckle as a noxious weed.
Tree of Heaven – Ailanthus altissima IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 29 of West Virginia’s 55 counties. West Virginia lists Tree of Heaven as a noxious weed.
No plant on West Virginia’s list matches that.
Want to check a plant by photo or county?
Use our “Is it native” tool for free.Compiled from the rule itself, retrieved July 20, 2026. Law changes; if you spot a listing we have wrong or stale, tell us at support@getezina.com.
The same list as a table
| Plant | Scientific name | Status | Plant instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asiatic Tearthumb | Polygonum perfoliatum | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Autumn Olive | Elaeagnus umbellata | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | Smooth Sumac, Chickasaw Plum, American Black Elderberry |
| Curly Plumeless Thistle | Carduus crispus | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Japanese Barberry | Berberis thunbergii | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | American Barberry, White Meadowsweet, Mountain Laurel |
| Japanese Knotweed | Polygonum cuspidatum | ListedWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Johnsongrass | Sorghum halepense | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Morrow's Honeysuckle | Lonicera morrowii | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | White Meadowsweet, American Black Currant, Canada Yew |
| Nepalese Browntop | Microstegium vimineum | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Nodding Plumeless Thistle | Carduus nutans | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Poison Hemlock | Conium maculatum | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | Common Cowparsnip, Crimsoneyed Rosemallow, Canadian Milkvetch |
| Spiny Plumeless Thistle | Carduus acanthoides | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | — |
| Tatarian Honeysuckle | Lonicera tatarica | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | American Fly Honeysuckle, American Black Currant, White Meadowsweet |
| Tree of Heaven | Ailanthus altissima | ListedInvasiveWest Virginia says “noxious weed” | Western Catalpa, Kentucky Coffeetree, Post Oak |
Where this comes from
- West Virginia listings
- W. Va. Code R. 61-14A-5. Read the rule.
- Invasive status
- GRIIS, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species, via GBIF, covering the lower 48 states. A scientific register with no legal force; it is cited separately from the statute above because the two disagree far more often than they agree. Garden crops it flags only for spreading from cultivation are left out after review.
- Status wording
- The Prohibited / Restricted / Listed chips are Ezina’s normalisation across 44 states and are not the legal term. Where West Virginia’s own word for a plant differs from the chip, it is quoted verbatim beneath it.
- Nativity
- USDA PLANTS county distribution layer, surfaced through the county checker.
Regulated next door, but not in West Virginia
Plants that two or more states bordering West Virginia regulate, and West Virginia does not. A listing is a legal act rather than an ecological one, so a plant can be a documented problem here and still be sold here.
- Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii regulated in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Fig Buttercup Ranunculus ficaria regulated in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Callery Pear Pyrus calleryana regulated in Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania
- Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata regulated in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum regulated in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Japanese Knotweed Fallopia japonica (potentially invasive weed) regulated in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Oriental Bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus regulated in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Water Chestnut Trapa natans regulated in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Waterthyme Hydrilla verticillata regulated in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Basketgrass Oplismenus hirtellus regulated in Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Blood Grass Imperata cylindrica regulated in Pennsylvania, Virginia
- Blueberry Creeper Ampelopsis brevipedunculata regulated in Ohio, Virginia
- Border Privet Ligustrum obtusifolium regulated in Maryland, Pennsylvania
- Brazilian Waterweed Egeria densa regulated in Ohio, Pennsylvania
- Burning Bush Euonymus alatus regulated in Maryland, Pennsylvania
Questions
Is there an official West Virginia invasive species list?
Not under that name. West Virginia's legal list is a noxious-weed list: 14 plants named under W. Va. Code R. 61-14A-5, an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell. GRIIS, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species, flags 13 of these 14 as invasive in the lower 48 states. That is an ecological finding, not a ruling by West Virginia. This page shows both side by side.
What plants are illegal to sell in West Virginia?
West Virginia's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell. 14 plants are named under W. Va. Code R. 61-14A-5. A noxious-weed listing does not automatically ban nursery sale, so check the rule itself before assuming a plant cannot be bought or sold.
Is my plant invasive in West Virginia?
Search the table on this page for West Virginia's legal determination, then look for the Invasive chip beside it, which is a separate ecological finding from GRIIS rather than a ruling by West Virginia. A plant can carry one, both, or neither. For an address-level answer, enter the plant's name in Ezina's checker to get its West Virginia status alongside whether USDA records it as native to your specific county. Every answer links the record it came from.
Is it illegal to plant these in West Virginia?
Not necessarily, and the distinction matters. West Virginia's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law: it obliges landowners to control these plants and restricts moving them, rather than making the act of planting one an offence in itself. W. Va. Code R. 61-14A-5 is the text that says what is actually required of you, and it is linked beside every plant here.
Does a plant missing from this list mean it is safe to plant in West Virginia?
No. This page reproduces what West Virginia regulates, and a state list is a legal instrument rather than an ecological verdict. Plenty of plants spread aggressively without ever being listed, and states add species years after the problem is documented.
Grow natives easily with Ezina
How it works
We provide the tools you need to succeed.
010.1Identify
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
010.2Care
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
010.3Plan
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Compiled from peer-reviewed research, USDA documentation,
and direct scientific observation across the United States.