Not your typical garden weed, noxious weeds can proliferate in such abundance or be so difficult to control that they negatively impact agriculture and crowd out native plants. Legally, a noxious weed is any plant designated by a Federal, State or county government as injurious to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife or property. (Sheley, Petroff, and Borman, 1999)
All landowners are required to control noxious weeds on their property to prevent these weeds from booming or coming to maturity. The Pottawattamie County weed commissioner enforces the Iowa Noxious Weed Law.
Invasive plants are exotic weeds that are not native to Pottawattamie County and typically have no natural enemies to limit their production and spread. These invasives can produce significant changes to the functioning of ecosystems. The following invasive plants are prohibited from import, sale, or distribution, in any form:
- Teasel (Dipsacus) biennial
- Multiflora rose (Rosa mutliflora)
- Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
- Purple loosestrife (Lythrum virgatum)
- Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
- Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
- Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
- Japanese hop (Humulus japonicus)
Other invasive species of concern include:
- Palmer amaranth
- Honeysuckle
- Tree of heaven
For more information on identification and management:
