PlantLegitWest Virginia: invasive & noxious plant laws
Under the West Virginia Noxious Weed Act, W. Va. Code § 19-12D-7, no one may move, transport, deliver, ship or offer for shipment any noxious weed into or within the state without a permit from the Commissioner of Agriculture, and the Commissioner may stop sale or delivery, seize or destroy noxious weeds. The current rule, 61CSR14A (Noxious Weeds Rule, eff. May 1, 2023), declares the species listed here noxious, lets the Commissioner exempt sterile Japanese barberry cultivars, and adopts the federal noxious weed list as part of the state list.
Official sources
- 61CSR14A Noxious Weeds Rule (WV Secretary of State)
- W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5 (LII)
- W. Va. Code § 19-12D-7
- Federal Noxious Weed List, 7 CFR § 360.200 (USDA APHIS) — applies in every state
Noxious weed (W. Va. Code R. § 61-14A-5) — no moving, shipping or delivering into or within WV without a permit (15)
| Scientific name | Common name / notes |
|---|---|
| Sorghum halepense | Johnson grass |
| Carduus acanthoides | plumeless thistle |
| Carduus crispus | curled thistle |
| Carduus nutans | musk thistle |
| Polygonum perfoliatum (syn. Persicaria perfoliata) | mile-a-minute |
| Polygonum cuspidatum (syn. Reynoutria japonica) | Japanese knotweed |
| Lythrum salicaria | purple loosestrife |
| Ailanthus altissima | tree of heaven |
| Elaeagnus umbellata | autumn olive (rule spells "umbellate") |
| Microstegium vimineum | Japanese stiltgrass |
| Lonicera tatarica | Tartarian honeysuckle (rule spells "tartarica") |
| Lonicera morrowii | Morrow's honeysuckle |
| Conium maculatum | poison hemlock |
| Pueraria thunbergiana (syn. Pueraria montana) | kudzu |
| Berberis thunbergii | Japanese barberry — the Commissioner may exempt sterile cultivars |
Check plants against West Virginia 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.