Dame’s Rocket – Illegal?

Q: Is dames rocket an illegal plant for Georgia? I read it is banned from some states due to its invasiveness.

A: I don’t know of any plants that are “illegal” in Georgia except marijuana and possibly Oriental poppy. Planting dame’s rocket, Hesperis matronalis, is prohibited in a few states but that doesn’t mean it is invasive in Georgia. If you want to know which plants are considered bad actors here, the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council (www.gaeppc.org) has an excellent list of invasive plants, divided by their “invasive potential”. Dame’s rocket is not on their list.