Noxious Weeds of Nebraska
(From the Nebraska Department of Agriculture website)
The State of Nebraska has had a noxious weed law for many years. Over the years, this law has undergone numerous revisions with the most recent having been made by the 1989 Nebraska Legislature.
The term "noxious" means to be harmful or destructive and comes from the Latin word "nocere," meaning to harm, or the Greek word "nekros," meaning dead body. In its current usage, "noxious" is a legal term used to denote a destructive or harmful pest for purposes of regulation. When a specific pest (in this case, a weed) is determined to pose a serious threat to the economic, social, or aesthetic well-being of the residents of the state, it may be declared noxious.
Noxious weeds compete with pasture and crops, reducing yields substantially. Some noxious weeds are directly poisonous or injurious to man, livestock, and wildlife. The losses resulting from noxious weed infestations can be staggering, costing residents millions of dollars due to lost production. This not only directly affects the landowner, but erodes the tax base for all residents of the state. The business of noxious weed control is everyone's concern, and their control is to everyone's benefit. The support of all individuals within the state is needed and vital for the control of noxious weeds within Nebraska.
The Director of Agriculture determines which plants are to be deemed as "noxious" and the control measures to be used in preventing their spread.
Noxious Weeds of Nebraska 2008
To view current distributions for they current year, visit our mapping site at
http://www.neweedmapper.org
| Images |
Common
Name
(Species) |
Basic Biology |
Primary Habitat |
Control |
|
Musk Thistle
(Carduus nutans L.)
|
Growth Form: Forb
Life Span: Biennial
(sometimes annual)
Origin: Eurasia
Flowering Dates: May-August
Reproduction:
Seeds |
|
|
|
Leafy Spurge
(Euphorbia esula L.) |
Growth Form: Forb
Life Span: Perennial
Origin: Eurasia
Flowering Dates: May-September
Reproduction: Rhizomes and seeds |
|
|
|
Canada Thistle
(Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop.) |
Growth Form: Forb
Life Span: Perennial
Origin: Eurasia
Flowering Dates: June-August
Reproduction: Rhizomes and seeds |
|
|
|
Plumeless
Thistle
(Carduus acanthoides L.)
|
Growth Form: Forb
Life Span: Biennial
(sometimes winter annual)
Origin: Eurasia
Flowering Dates: June-August
Reproduction: Seeds |
|
|
|
Spotted and
Diffuse Knapweed
(Centaurea maculosa Lam.)
&
(Centaurea maculosa Lam.) |
Growth Form: Forb
Life Span: Biennial
(or short-lived perennial)
Origin: Eurasia
Flowering Dates: June-September
Reproduction: Seeds
|
|
|
|
Purple
Loosestrife
(Lythrum salicaria L.) |
Growth Form: Forb
Life Span: Perennial
Origin: Eurasia and Africa
Flowering Dates: July-September
Reproduction: Rhizomes and seeds |
|
|
|
Saltcedar
(Tamarix ramosissima Ledeb) and (Tamarix parviflora DC) |
Growth Form: Shrub or Forb
Life Span: Perennial
Origin: Eurasia
Flowering Dates: April-September
Reproduction: Seeds, root sprouts, & buried stems |
|
|
|
Phramites aka Common Reed
(Phragmites australis spp. australis ) |
Growth Form: Grass
Life Span: Perennial
Origin: Europe
Flowering Dates: June-August
Reproduction: Seeds and Stolons |
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