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Weeds I Must Control (Noxious)

Debbie Newman

A weed is a plant growing where you don't want it to grow. Weeds can cause allergies or rashes, injure or poison people or livestock, or reduce aesthetic or land values.

There are weeds that are such a problem that Minnesota has laws to control them. Minnesota law defines these noxious weeds as annual, biennial or perennial plants which are injurious to public health, the environment, public roads, livestock and other property.

Several weeds in Minnesota are considered noxious. You are required by law to control or eradicate the following prohibited plants, if they are on your property.

• Hemp
• Bull thistle
• Musk thistle
• Plumeless thistle
• Canada thistle
• Sowthistle (perennial)
• Field bindweed
• Leafy spurge
• Poison ivy
• Purple loosestrife
• Wild mustard

In addition, Minnesota law prohibits the import, sale or transport of Common and Glossy Buckthorn. Plus, some counties have additional weeds on their noxious lists. Most counties have management programs to control these weeds on farms, roadsides, utility rights of way, railroad tracks and ditch banks. Their objectives are prevention, control, or eradication.

CONTROL METHODS

• Prevent weeds from producing seeds.
• Use mechanical control such as hoeing, mowing, tilling or mulching
.
• Grow competitive crops to smother weeds.
• Use biological control with insects, diseases or grazing methods.
• Use chemical control with herbicides, following the label's directions.

If you are not sure a plant is noxious, take the entire plant to a county agricultural inspector for identification. For more information in Minnesota, call the Farm Information Line at 800-232-9077, or visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.

Reviewed by Betsy Wieland 2009.