Noxious Weeds Spread to Nine New Minnesota Counties

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) confirmed in 2020 six species of weeds on the state’s Noxious Weed Prohibited Eradicate List for the first time in nine counties.

Weeds categorized as Prohibited Eradicate are the worst types of weeds. The law requires species on this list to have all above- and below-ground plant parts destroyed because the weeds may be harmful to public health, the environment, public roads, crops, livestock, or other property.

Collaboration with multiple agencies and organizations throughout the state, including County Agricultural Inspectors, township supervisors, and city mayors, helps the MDA successfully detect noxious weeds on the eradicate list and confirm unrecognized species.

The new finds were:

Common and cutleaf teasels are closely related, short-lived perennials that have spiny, stiff flowers and seed heads; they prefer sunny, open habitats such as roadsides or pastures. Dalmatian toadflax is a perennial with yellow flowers that grows in sandy or gravelly soils. Meadow knapweed is a deep-rooted perennial with pink flowers that grows in sunny, wet conditions. Palmer amaranth is a high-profile noxious weed of row crops. Poison hemlock is a highly toxic plant that looks similar to wild carrot and grows in moist areas and along rights of way.

The MDA verifies the reports and, when possible, collects samples for the official University of Minnesota herbarium records. As the regulatory agency for managing noxious weeds, the MDA also helps local governments with weed management and enforcement of the Minnesota Noxious Weed Law. The MDA provides training to the County Agriculture Inspectors (CAIs) while the CAIs enforce the Minnesota Noxious Weed Law.

To report a noxious weed, contact the MDA’s Report a Pest line at reportapest@state.mn.us or 1-888-545-6684.