PlantLegitWashington: invasive & noxious plant laws
Washington's noxious weed seed and plant quarantine (WAC 16-752, WSDA) prohibits transporting, buying, selling, offering for sale or distributing plants, plant parts or seeds of the regulated species, including in seed packets and “wildflower mixes”; status applies to synonyms and to hybrids where both parents are listed. Certain cultivars noted in the list (e.g. variegated Arundo donax, accepted sterile Buddleia davidii) are excepted. Separately, the State Noxious Weed Control Board's list (WAC 16-750) is a control list: landowners must eradicate Class A weeds, control Class B weeds in the regions where they are designated, and control Class C weeds where the county requires it (RCW 17.10). Being on WAC 16-750 is not by itself a sale ban; only species also on the WAC 16-752 quarantine list are banned from sale.
Official sources
- WAC 16-752-610 Regulated articles (quarantine list; last amended eff. Feb 7, 2026)
- WAC 16-752 full chapter (prohibitions)
- WAC 16-750 State noxious weed list (control classes)
- WAC 16-750-005 Class A noxious weeds
- WAC 16-750-011 Class B noxious weeds
- WAC 16-750-015 Class C noxious weeds
- Federal Noxious Weed List, 7 CFR § 360.200 (USDA APHIS) — applies in every state
Quarantined (WAC 16-752-610) — no transport, buying, selling or distributing plants, plant parts or seeds (132)
| Scientific name | Common name / notes |
|---|---|
| Abutilon theophrasti | velvetleaf |
| Ailanthus altissima | tree-of-heaven |
| Alhagi maurorum | camelthorn |
| Alliaria petiolata | garlic mustard |
| Amaranthus palmeri | Palmer's amaranth |
| Amorpha fruticosa | indigobush, lead plant |
| Anchusa officinalis | common bugloss, alkanet, anchusa |
| Anthriscus sylvestris | wild chervil |
| Aponogeton distachyos | cape pondweed |
| Arum italicum | Italian arum |
| Arundo donax (except variegated cultivars) | giant reed |
| Bassia scoparia ( syn. Kochia scoparia ) | kochia, summer-cyprus, burning-bush, fireball, Mexican fireweed |
| Berteroa incana | hoary alyssum |
| Brachypodium sylvaticum | false brome |
| Buddleia davidii (except accepted sterile cultivars) | butterfly bush |
| Butomus umbellatus | flowering rush |
| Cabomba caroliniana | fanwort |
| Carduus acanthoides | plumeless thistle |
| Carduus cinereus | Turkish thistle |
| Carduus nutans | musk thistle, nodding thistle |
| Carduus pycnocephalus | Italian thistle |
| Carduus tenuiflorus | slenderflower thistle |
| Carex pendula, Carex pendula subsp. pedula and Carex pendula subsp. Agastachys | hanging sedge |
| Centaurea calcitrapa | purple starthistle |
| Centaurea diffusa | diffuse knapweed |
| Centaurea jacea | brown knapweed, rayed knapweed, brown centaury horse-knobs, hardheads |
| Centaurea macrocephala | bighead knapweed |
| Centaurea nigra | black knapweed |
| Centaurea nigrescens | Vochin knapweed |
| Centaurea stoebe | spotted knapweed |
| Centaurea x gerstlaueri ( syn. Centaurea jacea x nigra ) | meadow knapweed |
| Chaenorhinum minus | dwarf snapdragon |
| Chaerophyllum temulum | rough chervil |
| Clematis orientalis | oriental clematis |
| Clinopodium vulgare | wild basil/basil savory |
| Conium maculatum | poison hemlock |
| Crassula helmsii | Australian swamp stonecrop |
| Crupina vulgaris | common crupina |
| Cynoglossum officinale | houndstongue |
| Cyperus esculentus | yellow nutsedge |
| Cyperus rotundus | purple nutsedge |
| Cytisus scoparius | Scotch broom |
| Daphne laureola | spurge laurel |
| Daucus carota (except for subsp. sativus ) | wild carrot, Queen Anne's lace |
| Echium vulgare | blueweed, blue thistle, blue devil, viper's bugloss, snake flower |
| Egeria densa | Brazilian elodea |
| Epilobium hirsutum | hairy willow herb |
| Euphorbia myrsinites | myrtle spurge |
| Euphorbia oblongata | eggleaf spurge |
| Euphorbia virgate ( syn. Euphorbia esula ) | leafy spurge |
| Fallopia japonica | Japanese knotweed |
| Fallopia sachalinensis | giant knotweed |
| Fallopia x bohemica | Bohemian knotweed |
| Ficaria verna | lesser celandine |
| Foeniculum vulgare (except bulbing fennel, F. vulgare var. azoricum ) | common fennel |
| Galega officinalis | goatsrue |
| Genista monspessulana | French broom |
| Geranium lucidum | shiny geranium |
| Geranium robertianum | herb-Robert |
| Glossostigma diandrum | mud mat |
| Glyceria maxima | reed sweetgrass, tall manna grass |
| Gymnocoronis spilanthoides | Senegal tea plant |
| Hedera helix | common (English) ivy |
| Hedera hibernica | Atlantic ivy |
| Helianthus ciliaris | Texas blueweed |
| Heracleum mantegazzianum | giant hogweed, giant cow parsnip |
| Hibiscus trionum | Venice mallow, flower-of-an-hour, bladder ketmia, modesty, shoo-fly |
| Hieracium spp. All nonnative species and hybrids | nonnative hawkweeds |
| Hydrilla verticillata | hydrilla |
| Hydrocharis morsus-ranae | European frog-bit |
| Impatiens capensis | spotted touch-me-not |
| Impatiens glandulifera | policeman's helmet |
| Impatiens parviflora | small-flowered jewelweed |
| Iris pseudacorus | yellow flag iris |
| Isatis tinctoria | dyers' woad |
| Jacobaea vulgaris ( syn. Senecio jacobaea ) | tansy ragwort |
| Lagarosiphon major | African elodea |
| Lamiastrum galeobdolon | yellow archangel |
| Lepidium latifolium | perennial pepperweed |
| Leucanthemum vulgare | oxeye daisy, white daisy, whiteweed, field daisy, marguerite, poorland flower |
| Limnobium laevigatum | South American spongeplant |
| Limnobium spongia | American spongeplant |
| Linaria dalmatica spp. dalmatica | Dalmatian toadflax |
| Ludwigia hexapetala | water primrose |
| Ludwigia peploides | floating primrose-willow |
| Lycopsis arvensis | annual bugloss |
| Lysimachia vulgaris | garden loosestrife |
| Lythrum salicaria | purple loosestrife |
| Lythrum virgatum | wand loosestrife |
| Marsilea mutica | Australian water clover |
| Mirabilis nyctaginea | wild four o'clock, umbrella-wort |
| Murdannia keisak | marsh dew flower, Asian spiderwort |
| Myriophyllum aquaticum | parrotfeather |
| Myriophyllum heterophyllum | variable-leaf milfoil |
| Myriophyllum spicatum | Eurasian watermilfoil |
| Najas minor | slender-leaved naiad, brittle naiad |
| Nymphoides peltata | yellow floating heart |
| Onopordum acanthium | Scotch thistle |
| Pentaglottis sempervirens | green alkanet |
| Persicaria wallichii ( syn. Polygonum polystachyum ) | Himalayan knotweed |
| Potentilla recta | sulfur cinquefoil |
| Proboscidea louisianica | unicorn-plant |
| Pueraria montana var. lobata | kudzu |
| Rhaponticum repens | Russian knapweed |
| Sagittaria graminea | grass-leaved arrowhead |
| Sagittaria platyphylla | delta arrowhead |
| Salvia aethiopis | Mediterranean sage |
| Salvia pratensis | meadow clary |
| Salvia sclarea | clary sage |
| Schoenoplectus mucronatus | ricefield bulrush |
| Silybum marianum | milk thistle |
| Solanum elaeagnifolium | silverleaf nightshade |
| Solanum rostratum | buffaloburr |
| Soliva sessilis | lawnweed |
| Sorghum halepense | johnsongrass |
| Spartina alterniflora | smooth cordgrass |
| Spartina anglica | common cordgrass |
| Spartina densiflora | dense-flowered cordgrass |
| Spartina patens | salt meadow cordgrass |
| Spartium junceum | Spanish broom |
| Stratiotes aloides | water soldier |
| Tamarix ramosissima | saltcedar |
| Thymelaea passerina | spurge flax |
| Torilis arvensis | hedgeparsley |
| Trapa natans | water chestnut, bull nut |
| Trapa bicornus | water caltrap, devil's pod, bat nut |
| Tribulus terrestris | puncturevine |
| Tripidium ravennae | Ravenna grass |
| Tussilago farfara | European coltsfoot |
| Ulex europaeus | gorse, furze |
| Utricularia inflata | swollen bladderwort |
| Zygophyllum fabago | Syrian bean-caper |
Class A noxious weed, control list (WAC 16-750-005) — eradication required; not a sale ban (44)
| Scientific name | Common name / notes |
|---|---|
| Genista monspessulana | broom, French |
| Spartium junceum | broom, Spanish |
| Crupina vulgaris | common crupina |
| Spartina anglica | cordgrass, common |
| Spartina densiflora | cordgrass, dense-flowered |
| Spartina patens | cordgrass, salt meadow |
| Spartina alterniflora | cordgrass, smooth |
| Sagittaria platyphylla | delta arrowhead |
| Isatis tinctoria | dyer's woad |
| Euphorbia oblongata | eggleaf spurge |
| Brachypodium sylvaticum | false brome |
| Ludwigia peploides | floating primrose-willow |
| Butomus umbellatus | flowering rush |
| Alliaria petiolata | garlic mustard |
| Heracleum mantegazzianum | giant hogweed |
| Galega officinalis | goatsrue |
| Hydrilla verticillata | hydrilla |
| Sorghum halepense | Johnsongrass |
| Centaurea macrocephala | knapweed, bighead |
| Centaurea nigrescens | knapweed, Vochin |
| Pueraria montana var. lobata | kudzu |
| Salvia pratensis | meadow clary |
| Clematis orientalis | oriental clematis |
| Amaranthus palmeri | Palmer amaranth |
| Centaurea calcitrapa | purple starthistle |
| Glyceria maxima | reed sweetgrass |
| Schoenoplectus mucronatus | ricefield bulrush |
| Celastrus orbiculatus | round leaf bittersweet |
| Salvia sclarea | sage, clary |
| Salvia aethiopis | sage, Mediterranean |
| Solanum elaeagnifolium | silverleaf nightshade |
| Impatiens parviflora | small-flowered jewelweed |
| Limnobium laevigatum | South American spongeplant |
| Orobanche cumana | sunflower broomrape |
| Zygophyllum fabago | Syrian bean-caper |
| Helianthus ciliaris | Texas blueweed |
| Carduus pycnocephalus | thistle, Italian |
| Cirsium palustre | thistle, marsh |
| Silybum marianum | thistle, milk |
| Carduus tenuiflorus | thistle, slenderflower |
| Carduus cinereus | thistle, Turkish |
| Myriophyllum heterophyllum Myriophyllum heterophyllum x Myriophyllum hippuroides | variable-leaf milfoil and hybrids |
| Amaranthus tuberculatus | waterhemp |
| Mirabilis nyctaginea | wild four o'clock |
Class B noxious weed, control list (WAC 16-750-011) — control required where designated; not a sale ban (70)
| Scientific name | Common name / notes |
|---|---|
| Echium vulgare | blueweed |
| Egeria densa | Brazilian elodea |
| Lycopsis arvensis | bugloss, annual |
| Anchusa officinalis | bugloss, common |
| Buddleja davidii | butterfly bush |
| Alhagi maurorum | camelthorn |
| Foeniculum vulgare (except bulbing fennel, F. vulgare var. azoricum ) | common fennel |
| Phragmites australis (nonnative genotypes only) | common reed |
| Tanacetum vulgare | common tansy |
| Linaria dalmatica ssp. dalmatica | Dalmatian toadflax |
| Myriophyllum spicatum | Eurasian watermilfoil |
| Tussilago farfara | European coltsfoot |
| Cabomba caroliniana | fanwort |
| Ulex europaeus | gorse |
| Sagittaria graminea | grass-leaved arrowhead |
| Epilobium hirsutum | hairy willow-herb |
| Carex pendula, Carex pendula subsp. pendula and Carex pendula subsp. agastachys | hanging sedge |
| Picris hieracioides | hawkweed oxtongue |
| Hieracium aurantiacum | hawkweed, orange |
| Hieracium subgenus Pilosella — all nonnative species and hybrids (incl. H. pilosella, H. lactucella, H. glomeratum, H. piloselloides, H. flagellare, H. caespitosum, H. x floribundum) | meadow hawkweeds |
| European ( H. sabaudum ), polar ( H. atratum ), smooth ( H. laevigatum ), spotted ( H. maculatum ), and wall ( H. murorum ) | hawkweeds: All nonnative species and hybrids of the Wall subgenus ( Hieracium ), including, but not limited to, common ( Hieracium lachenalii ) |
| Geranium robertianum | herb-Robert |
| Berteroa incana | hoary alyssum |
| Cynoglossum officinale | houndstongue |
| Amorpha fruticosa | indigobush |
| Centaurea nigra | knapweed, black |
| Centaurea jacea | knapweed, brown |
| Centaurea diffusa | knapweed, diffuse |
| Centaurea x gerstlaueri | knapweed, meadow |
| Rhaponticum repens | knapweed, Russian |
| Centaurea stoebe | knapweed, spotted |
| Fallopia x bohemica | knotweed, Bohemian |
| Fallopia sachalinensis | knotweed, giant |
| Persicaria wallichii | knotweed, Himalayan |
| Fallopia japonica | knotweed, Japanese |
| Bassia scoparia | kochia |
| Ficaria verna | lesser celandine |
| Lysimachia vulgaris | loosestrife, garden |
| Lythrum salicaria | loosestrife, purple |
| Lythrum virgatum | loosestrife, wand |
| Centaurea melitensis | Malta starthistle |
| Myriophyllum aquaticum | parrotfeather |
| Lepidium latifolium | perennial pepperweed |
| Conium maculatum | poison hemlock |
| Impatiens glandulifera | policeman's helmet |
| Tribulus terrestris | puncturevine |
| Tripidium ravennae | Ravenna grass |
| Chaerophyllum temulum | rough chervil |
| Chondrilla juncea | rush skeletonweed |
| Tamarix ramosissima (unless intentionally planted prior to 2004) | saltcedar |
| Cytisus scoparius | Scotch broom |
| Geranium lucidum | shiny geranium |
| Thymelaea passerina | spurge flax |
| Daphne laureola | spurge laurel |
| Euphorbia virgata | spurge, leafy |
| Euphorbia myrsinites | spurge, myrtle |
| Potentilla recta | sulfur cinquefoil |
| Jacobaea vulgaris | tansy ragwort |
| Carduus nutans | thistle, musk |
| Carduus acanthoides | thistle, plumeless |
| Onopordum acanthium | thistle, Scotch |
| Abutilon theophrasti | velvetleaf |
| Ludwigia hexapetala | water primrose |
| Bryonia alba | white bryony |
| Clinopodium vulgare | Wild basil/basil savory |
| Anthriscus sylvestris | wild chervil |
| Lamiastrum galeobdolon | yellow archangel |
| Nymphoides peltata | yellow floating heart |
| Cyperus esculentus | yellow nutsedge |
| Centaurea solstitialis | yellow starthistle |
Class C noxious weed, control list (WAC 16-750-015) — control at county option; not a sale ban (58)
| Scientific name | Common name / notes |
|---|---|
| Artemisia absinthium | absinth wormwood |
| Rorippa austriaca | Austrian fieldcress |
| Gypsophila paniculata | babysbreath |
| Ammophila arenaria, A. breviligulata , and A. arenaria x breviligulata | beach grass, European, American, and hybrids |
| Hyoscyamus niger | black henbane |
| Rubus laciniatus | blackberry, evergreen |
| Rubus bifrons | blackberry, Himalayan |
| Alopecurus myosuroides | blackgrass |
| Robinia pseudoacacia | black locust |
| Solanum rostratum | buffalobur |
| Secale cereale | cereal rye |
| Berberis vulgaris | common barberry |
| Hypochaeris radicata | common catsear |
| Senecio vulgaris | common groundsel |
| Ilex aquifolium, except where commercially grown | common holly |
| Hypericum perforatum | common St. Johnswort |
| Dipsacus fullonum | common teasel |
| Potamogeton crispus | curly-leaf pondweed |
| Crataegus monogyna | English hawthorn |
| Hedera hibernica 'Hibernica' | English ivy 4 cultivars only: |
| Hedera helix 'Baltica' | |
| Hedera helix 'Pittsburgh' | |
| Hedera helix 'Star' | |
| Myriophyllum spicatum x M. sibiricum | Eurasian watermilfoil hybrid |
| Convolvulus arvensis | field bindweed |
| Nymphaea odorata | fragrant water lily |
| Pentaglottis sempervirens | green alkanet |
| Lepidium appelianum | hairy whitetop |
| Lepidium draba | hoary cress |
| Arum italicum | Italian arum |
| Nanozostera japonica | Japanese eelgrass |
| Aegilops cylindrica | jointed goatgrass |
| Cortaderia jubata | jubata grass |
| Soliva sessilis | lawnweed |
| Cenchrus longispinus | longspine sandbur |
| Taeniatherum caput-medusae | Medusahead |
| Including, but not limited to, Typha angustifolia, T. domingensis and T. x glauca | nonnative cattail species and hybrids |
| Acer platanoides | Norway maple |
| Clematis vitalba | old man's beard |
| Leucanthemum vulgare | oxeye daisy |
| Cortaderia selloana | pampas grass |
| Sonchus arvensis ssp. arvensis | perennial sowthistle |
| Phalaris arundinacea | reed canarygrass |
| Elaeagnus angustifolia | Russian olive |
| Tripleurospermum inodorum | scentless mayweed |
| Cuscuta approximata | smoothseed alfalfa dodder |
| Centromadia pungens | spikeweed |
| Xanthium spinosum | spiny cocklebur |
| Impatiens capensis | spotted jewelweed |
| Sphaerophysa salsula | Swainsonpea |
| Cirsium vulgare | thistle, bull |
| Cirsium arvense | thistle, Canada |
| Ailanthus altissima | tree-of-heaven |
| Ventenata dubia | ventenata |
| Silene latifolia | white cockle |
| Daucus carota | wild carrot (except subs. sativus where grown commercially or for food) |
| Iris pseudacorus | yellow flag iris |
| Linaria vulgaris | yellow toadflax |
Check plants against Washington law →
Informational only, not legal advice. Lists change; always check the official source linked above before you buy, sell, plant or move a plant. Lists checked 2026-10-14.