The invention provides methods for controlling invasive plants, comprising treating one or more populations of invasive plant species with a composition comprising an effective amount of nucleic acids, wherein the nucleic acids have been produced using gene silencing techniques to target specific plant species, and specific aspects of plant development. In the methods of the invention, the compositions applied to the plants adversely affect only the targeted invasive plants, as compared to any non-invasive plants living in the same environmental setting. Further provided are methods for restoring native plant flora to an environment, by treating a natural environment using the methods provided herein to reduce or eliminate a species of invasive plant in an environment, then reintroducing a native plant species to the environment, such that the native plant population is reestablished in an environment and the invasive species is eliminated or reduced.
