Beginning October 6, 2021, Japanese barberry and two other invasive plant species were added to the list of plants that are illegal to propagate or sell in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture Controlled Plant and Noxious Weed Committee placed a notice in the
Pennsylvania Bulletin on August 7 officially adding the following species to
the Noxious Weed List as Class B noxious weeds:
• Berberis
thunbergia, Japanese barberry
• Microstegium
vimineum, Japanese stiltgrass
• Alliaria
petiolate, garlic mustard
This becomes effective 60 days after notice.
Most notable is the addition of Japanese barberry, a popular nursery and landscaping plant. Until the Department of Agriculture develops a process to apply for permission to sell sterile varieties, both sterile and nonsterile varieties are banned.
The first two years of enforcement will be incremental, to allow for outreach to plant merchants, landscape professionals, and other states to enable the industry to work towards compliance.
Noxious weeds are determined to be
injurious to public health, crops, livestock, and agricultural land or other
property and cannot be sold, transported, planted, or otherwise propagated in
Pennsylvania. Class B noxious weeds are widely established and cannot feasibly
be eradicated. You can learn more about the Pennsylvania’s Noxious weed law by
clicking here.
