Status of Invasive Plants in West Virginia

Invasive Plants by Category

• Aquatic - 6 species, 160 records
• Conifer Trees - 2 species, 32 records
• Forbs/Herbs - 222 species, 13054 records
• Grass or Grasslike - 53 species, 3541 records
• Hardwood Trees - 47 species, 2868 records
• Shrub or Subshrub - 46 species, 3937 records
• Vines - 28 species, 2789 records

Top Ten Abundant Invasive Plants (by number of reports)

1. tree-of-heaven - 1685 reports
2. Japanese knotweed - 1648 reports
3. multiflora rose - 1539 reports
4. Japanese honeysuckle - 1142 reports
5. autumn-olive - 1054 reports
6. common teasel - 932 reports
7. Japanese stiltgrass - 779 reports
8. ground ivy - 609 reports
9. garlic mustard - 577 reports
10. poison-hemlock - 507 reports

Top Ten Widespread Invasive Plants (by number of positive counties)

1. tree-of-heaven - 55/55 (100%)
2. garlic mustard - 55/55 (100%)
3. common teasel - 55/55 (100%)
4. autumn-olive - 55/55 (100%)
5. ground ivy - 55/55 (100%)
6. Japanese stiltgrass - 55/55 (100%)
7. multiflora rose - 55/55 (100%)
8. Queen Anne's lace, wild carrot - 55/55 (100%)
9. oxeye daisy - 55/55 (100%)
10. Japanese honeysuckle - 54/55 (98%)

Counties with the most invasive species reported

1. Monongalia County - 353 species
2. Fayette County - 293 species
3. Hampshire County - 274 species
4. Kanawha County - 254 species
5. Grant County - 254 species
6. Summers County - 252 species
7. Randolph County - 251 species
8. Hardy County - 241 species
9. Mineral County - 234 species
10. Pocahontas County - 231 species

Counties with the least invasive species reported

1. Boone County - 75 species
2. Mingo County - 83 species
3. Logan County - 85 species
4. Lincoln County - 86 species
5. Pleasants County - 92 species
6. Clay County - 95 species
7. Monroe County - 101 species
8. Tyler County - 108 species
9. Roane County - 114 species
10. Putnam County - 115 species