Invasive Plants in West Virginia

What are non-native invasive plants?

People have been moving plants from place to place for thousands of years. The Native Americans who first lived in what is now called West Virginia planted maize, squash and beans far from where they were first domesticated in Central and South America, and the Indigenous peoples who call West Virginia home likely cultivated and facilitated the growth and spread of many different species of wild plants from hickory trees to wild strawberries and many other plants useful for food, medicine, and materials before the arrival of European settlers. What we call ‘native’ plants are those species that evolved in this area and were present at or before the time of European colonization in the 1600s. The period of colonization initiated a huge transfer of species from Europe, Asia, and Africa to the Americas, and vice versa. Since that time, the human-facilitated spread of new species around the globe has only grown with the globalization of industries like agriculture and horticulture.

Many of the non-native plants introduced to our landscape, intentionally or accidentally, have had little ecological impact on natural communities. But a small percentage has spread from where they first became established and has become a serious threat to wetlands, shale barrens, prairies, glades and other rare ecosystems. Invasive species are non-native, introduced species that cause (or are likely to cause) harm to ecosystems, the economy, or human health. Invasive plants often get started in areas disturbed by human activities such as road and trail building, timbering, mining, agriculture and other activities that remove native vegetation, disturb the soil or dramatically change the amount of sunlight or moisture available to plants.

Of the more than 2,300 vascular plant species that currently occur in West Virginia, nearly a quarter are not native to the state. Of these introduced species, 37 have been identified as highly invasive based on their potential to disrupt ecosystem processes and cause major alterations in vegetation community composition and structure, as well as their demonstrated ability to establish readily and spread rapidly in natural systems. A further 62 are identified as moderately invasive and 124 as somewhat invasive.

Invasive Plants

Invasive plants affect nearly every habitat in West Virginia, from common forest types to rare wetland communities and shale barrens. They easily become established in and spread from roads, trails, housing developments, and other disturbed areas. Even small canopy gaps can give invasive plants a foothold to invade relatively undisturbed forest communities. Seeds and fragments of invasive plants can be spread to remote areas by wind, water, and animals, as well as on clothing, machinery, or equipment. Many invasive species, like multiflora rose, tree-of-heaven, and autumn olive, were first introduced for ornamental, agricultural, or even restoration purposes, but others (like Japanese stiltgrass) were introduced accidentally.

Invasive Insects

Many invasive insects are serious pests of crops. Other invasive insects negatively impact native plants and can dramatically change native plant communities. Invasive insect pests include the emerald ash borer, spotted lanternfly, hemlock woolly adelgid, and spongy moth. These insect pests feed on trees and can cause massive dieback of important timber species, as well as major changes in forest composition and structure.

Other Invasive Animals

Feral and outdoor cats are a major threat to native wildlife and public health, with an estimated 2.4 billion birds killed by outdoor cats in the United States each year and cats being the top carrier of rabies among domestic animals. Invasive birds like European starlings and house sparrows compete with native songbirds for food and nesting resources, and house sparrows sometimes bully bluebirds and other native songbirds out of nest boxes and tree cavities. Feral hogs destroy agricultural fields and tear up the forest floor when foraging for roots and invertebrates in the soil. Invasive rodents such as roof rats (Rattus rattus), brown rats (Rattus norvegicus), and the house mouse (Mus musculus) eat songbird eggs and can be both a nuisance and a health hazard in both rural and urban areas.

To receive additional information about invasive plants, please contact:

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources Section
P.O. Box 67
Elkins, WV 26241
Voice: 304-637-0245, fax: 304-637-0250