Which states have the most invasive plant species?

My daughter Mona is a Ph.D. botanist. When she was in the ninth grade she said she was going to study horticulture and be a botanist.

Mona loves plants. Whenever we go on vacation, she “botanizes,” checking out the plants, bushes, and tree and identifying them. When she was in the middle of doing her doctoral thesis on cape ivy, we took a trip to Spain and Portugal. She set up meetings with university scientists and spotted cape ivy as we traveled.

Specializing in rare plant and invasive weed surveys, Mona does consulting work now. She has worked for the California Invasive Plant Council, the California Native Plant Society, the American River Parkway Foundation, and California State Parks.

It’s a good thing California has Mona. It’s the state with the most invasive plant species.

Lawn Love, a website for lawn care services, ranked 2024’s states with the most invasive plant species. They are:

States with the most invasive plant species Rank State Rank State 1. California 6. Florida 2. New York 7. Virginia 3. Massachusetts 8. Louisiana 4. Connecticut 9. Kentucky 5. North Carolina 10. Alabama

Here are some findings from the report:

• North Carolina, No. 5, fights against the highest number of invasive plant species, 53, according to the National Invasive Species Information Center. Virginia, No. 7, and Kentucky, No. 9, follow closely with 52 and 51 invasive species, respectively. 
• Not all non-native species are classified as invasive. However, non-native plants can be dormant for hundreds of years before becoming invasive and wreaking havoc on the environment. Most dormant invasive plants take an average of 40 years to become an issue.
• About 1,695 invasive or non-native plant species have been mapped in the California wilderness, the most in the ranking. Florida follows closely with 1,509 species reported. These two sunny states also have optimal weather conditions for many species to grow and spread.

• Invasive species have cost North America an estimated $26 billion or more each year since 2010. 

I hope you’re enjoying the plants, bushes, and trees in your yard and nearby parks this summer before winter sets in.