If Japanese Barberry’s thorns, poisonous berries and dense thickets aren’t enough to convince you to get rid of it, here’s another reason.

The Virginia legislature appears to be intent on taking steps to slow the environmental and economic harm that invasive plants are causing. State legislators introduced seven bills relating to invasive plants in the 2026 legislative session, and all of them are proceeding through the legislative process. 

Thanks to NVBA advocates’ and many others’ efforts, Virginia has a new law that requires, by January 1, 2027, retailers to conspicuously post “in proximity to each invasive plant display” signs indicating that a plant is invasive and “encouraging consumers to ask about alternatives.” 

Common Blue Violets (Viola sororia) are blooming. You may think of them as pesky weeds growing unwanted in your lawn and pull them up, as I used to do, but they are native and of value to wildlife.

Running bamboo may not be able to leap tall buildings, but it can run underground as much as 15 feet a year, including going under a road and emerging on the other side. Running bamboo can even be found as far away as 100 feet from its parent plant.

Today (March 1) is the last day of National Invasive Species Awareness Week! Appropriately, this is the perfect time of year to remove certain invasive vines from your own yard.

Unfortunately, many people think English Ivy is a benign plant that grows in the shade where nothing else grows. 

Many of us have spent time in our yards and area parks battling invasive plants, but we need to add a few other measures in our continuing efforts to build and sustain healthy habitat for native wildlife. STOP HITCHHIKERS!

The Virginia House of Delegates and Senate have approved two bills that can help deter the spread of invasive plants in Virginia and encourage use of native plants.

What do English ivy, barberry, butterfly bush, and mimosas (the tree, not the drink) have in common? You can find them in most Northern Virginia neighborhoods, and you can buy them at many local nurseries, garden shops and big box stores. But they are all invasive plants in Northern Virginia.