A Costco plant purchase may have come with an unwelcome hitchhiker. Fox 5 New York reported that the retailer is warning shoppers about a bug that can hitch a ride home on a popular garden variety and threaten nearby trees and crops.
What's happening?
Costco says shoppers who bought desert willow plants in the June 24 to July 3, 2026, window may have picked up the glassy-winged sharpshooter along with it.
The bug carries Pierce's disease, a bacterial illness that has plagued California vineyards for years, and Costco warned it can also damage citrus trees, landscaping, and other crops.
The financial stakes are already well documented. A 2025 report commissioned for the California Department of Food and Agriculture put the grape and wine industry's yearly losses from Pierce's disease at roughly $110 million, with projections showing that number climbing by another $56 million a year if the sharpshooter takes hold across the state.
The bug's range also makes it difficult to contain. A single flight can cover more than a quarter mile, allowing it to ferry the disease between separate host plants. One infested purchase could put more than a single yard at risk.
Why does it matter?
Invasive species don't always arrive by way of a forest or a farm field. Sometimes a garden center purchase is all it takes to introduce a pest that later spreads to surrounding vines and greenery. Michigan issued a similar warning this summer, telling residents to kill spotted lanternflies on sight before that pest could cause comparable harm.
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Commercial vineyards aren't the only ones at risk. A home's citrus trees, ornamental plants, and general landscaping can also fall victim, which for homeowners can mean dead plants and pricier pest treatments down the line. In places already strained by heat, drought, and tight water budgets, losing healthy greenery is one more setback.
Rethinking a thirsty lawn can ease some of that pressure. Native plants, clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping all need less water and mowing than traditional grass, and swapping out even a section of a yard can mean a smaller water bill and less weekend upkeep.
The TCD Guide has pages on rewilding a yard and switching to a natural lawn for anyone who wants to start small.
What's being done?
Costco wants affected shoppers to reach out to their county's agricultural commissioner and keep the plant in its original pot, away from anything else they're growing, rather than hauling it back to a warehouse.
Anyone who hasn't planted the desert willow yet should leave it be: no moving it, planting it, or tossing it in the trash or compost. Costco suggests sealing it in two trash bags, if that's an option, while it waits for an inspector.
"This invasive insect pest can spread harmful plant diseases, including Pierce's disease, which can kill grapevines," the notice said. "The pest can also damage citrus trees, landscape plants and other crops. Early detection and rapid response are critical to preventing the pest from spreading further."
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