Non-Native Invasive Plants

Floodwaters bring in seeds and plant parts from a variety of non-native invasive plants. If they can tolerate the damp environment, put down roots, bloom, and go to seed all in the same season, they do fine on these shifting sandbars. These have managed to get a toehold: 

• sweet wormwood* (low plant)
• beefsteak plant* (low plant)
• curly dock* (low plant)
• ground-ivy* (low plant)
• jimsonweed* (low plant)
• Mexican-tea* (low plant)
• oriental lady’s-thumb* (low plant)
• spiny pigweed* (low plant) 

Diseases, Pests, and Other Threats

Learn more about some of the ecological threats to the natural communities of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. 

See Making a Difference to learn about some of the ways park staff are addressing these threats—and ways you can help, too.