Buyer Beware—Your New Costco Plant May Have Come Home With Friends

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2 days ago
2 min read

Blooming Desert Willow plant, Photo credit: IStock

Did You Recently Buy a Desert Willow Plant From Costco?

Check It for Invasive Pests

If you purchased a Desert Willow plant from Costco between June 24 and July 3, 2026, it may contain two invasive agricultural pests: the Broad-headed Sharpshooter and the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter. Please check and let us know if you find them.

The stowaways from left to right: Adult Broad-headed Sharpshoot (iNaturalist) and Adult Glassy-winged Sharpshooter (USDA) | Click on image to enlarge

The affected plants came from a nursery in Texas and were distributed to Costco warehouses throughout California, including seven locations in San Diego County.

Why This Matters

Preventing these pests is critical to protecting the state’s agriculture, environment, and economy.

Both can cause Pierce’s disease which has caused millions of dollars in losses to the state’s wine grape industry. Introducing the Broad‑headed Sharpshooter species, currently not in California, could increase the risk of spreading destructive plant diseases to vineyards, orchards, nurseries, landscapes, and home gardens.

The Glassy-winged Sharpshooter is already present in the county and California has established programs to manage this pest.

What You Should Do

Contact County Agriculture, Weights and Measures for guidance—even if Costco has not contacted you.

If the plant has not been planted:

Double-bag the plant (one trash bag inside the other), seal both bags, and place them in your regular trash.
Do not place it in green waste, return it to the store, transport or relocate it.

If the plant has already been planted:

County agricultural inspectors will come to inspect the plant for any life stages of the broad-headed sharpshooter and advise the next steps.

County agricultural officials have inspected plants at the local Costco warehouses, but about 200 plants sold in San Diego County are still unaccounted for. Costco is notifying customers who purchased the plants, and the County has already fielded several customer inquiries.

The County is working closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and Costco to identify affected plants, respond to customer inquiries, and prevent the Broad-headed Sharpshooter from becoming established in San Diego County.

Have Questions?

If you purchased a desert willow plant from Costco between June 24 and July 3, 2026, please contact the County of San Diego Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures at 760-752-4700 or sdcawm@sdcounty.ca.gov for assistance.