Combat invasive plants - your guide to identification and control

By Scout Nelson

Invasive plants pose a significant challenge to Minnesota's ecosystems. These non-native species can disrupt local habitats, making it crucial to identify and manage them effectively. Here's a guide to the essential resources available: 

• Minnesota Noxious Weeds Online Book: The Minnesota Department of Transportation offers an online guide detailing priority invasive plant species in the state. This resource is valuable for both beginners and experts. 
• "Mistaken Identity?" by New York Botanical Garden: This online book uses photographs and simple guidance to differentiate between invasive plants and their native look-alikes, aiding in accurate identification.  
• Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Noxious Weed List: This list provides links to detailed information and pictures of various species, helping in recognizing and understanding these plants.  
• University of Minnesota Extension Resources: They offer a page dedicated to identifying invasive and non-native species, linking to numerous additional resources for comprehensive learning.  
• Midwest Invasive Plant Network's Control Database: For those seeking information on control and management strategies, this database is an invaluable tool. 
• Minnesota Wildflowers Website and App: These identification tools are excellent for both enthusiasts and professionals in botany. 
• Flora of North America: This resource allows for species identification comparisons, enhancing understanding of plant species across North America. 
• Welby Smith's Books: Minnesota's state botanist has authored informative books on plant identification, including invasive species, available in public libraries.  
• Invasive Plant Mapping Tools: iNaturalist and EDDMapS offer interactive platforms for plant identification and distribution information, with free apps available for download.  

Winter is an ideal time to enhance your plant identification skills and plan for invasive plant control projects. These resources, along with various books, websites, and videos, offer a wealth of information for effective identification and management of invasive plants in Minnesota. 

Photo Credit - gettyimages-zoomtravels