RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia residents are being warned not to plant seeds they might have received in the mail from China.
The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services issued the warning after several residents were sent unsolicited packages filled with black seeds inside apparently from China.
“The packages were sent by mail and may have Chinese writing on them,” state officials said in a news release. “The types of seeds in the packages are unknown at this time and may be invasive plant species. Invasive species wreak havoc on the environment, displace or destroy native plants and insects and severely damage crops. Taking steps to prevent their introduction is the most effective method of reducing both the risk of invasive species infestations and the cost to control and mitigate those infestations.”