Pennsylvania garden centers, landscapers begin phasing out newly banned plants

Japanese barberry, seen here growing in Plum’s Holiday Park neighborhood, has been added to the state agriculture department’s list of noxious weeds, and its sale will be banned by fall 2023.

Employees examine spring flowers and shrubs growing Monday at PlumLine Nursery in Murrysville.

The sterile, “Worry-Free” barberry, on the left, is nearly indistinguishable from the soon-to-be-banned Japanese barberry on the right, seen here Monday at PlumLine Nursery in Murrysville.

The “Wine & Roses” variety of weigela is one of the shrubs that staff at PlumLine Nursery in Murrysville recommend to replace Japanese barberry, which was added to Pennsylvania’s noxious weeds list recently.