Virginia’s 39 plants that need an invasive warning sign from January 1, 2027

The 39 plants

Scientific names exactly as listed in the Code; common names from the VA DCR Invasive Plant Species List (common names).

What the sign has to include

VDACS has posted four template signs (single plant or multiple plants, portrait or landscape) on its Nursery Inspection page. Under VDACS’s proposed guidance, a store can use the template or its own design. Either way the sign must be at least 8.5 × 11 inches, sit next to each display (hanging baskets included), list each invasive plant on that display by scientific and common name, and carry the required statement plus a QR code and the URL for DCR’s invasive plant page.

For nurseries, Master Gardeners and HOAs: you’re welcome to link to or print this list. The official text is in the Code section linked above.

What to plant instead

Native swaps for Virginia yards: native alternatives by plant · every Virginia invasive and noxious-weed list · check any plant by ZIP (free).

Get What’s OK to Plant ($12) Native plants for your Virginia ZIP, where each one goes, and a shopping list.

Common questions

Is it illegal to sell these 39 plants in Virginia?

No. Va. Code 3.2-3801.1 does not ban the sale. From January 1, 2027 a retail store selling one of them for outdoor use must post a sign near each display that identifies it as invasive and encourages customers to ask about alternatives. Without the sign, VDACS issues a stop-sale order until the sign is posted.

Do homeowners have to remove these plants?

The signage law applies to retail establishments. It says nothing about plants already growing in a yard.

Which plants are on the list?

39 species, including Norway maple, Japanese barberry, butterfly bush, burning bush (winged euonymus), English ivy, nandina, Callery pear, periwinkle and Japanese and Chinese wisteria. The full list is on this page.