These plant species are undesirable from agricultural as well as environmental viewpoints.
Some people define a weed as “a plant out of place.” For farmers, that plant competes for space, light, nutrients and moisture intended for the desired crop. With this in mind, every weed is undesirable and Michigan farmers spend millions of dollars annually on herbicides and seed technology to limit crop losses to weeds. In addition to efforts by agricultural industry to control weed competition, Michigan laws and regulations also attempt to regulate possession and sale of certain weed species. Even though these laws are not actively enforced due to scarcity of state funds, they are useful in providing awareness regarding weeds of special interest.Prohibited plant species identified under Act 451 of 1994, as amended, cannot be sold or grown in the state. The plants, fragments, seeds or a hybrid or genetically engineered variant are specifically prohibited. Better known selections from this list of 12 plants include Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed.Restricted plant species identified under the same act are those that may occur within the state and are generally considered nuisances or economically detrimental and are restricted. These include:
Flowering rush
Purple loosestrife
Eurasian watermilfoil
Phragmites (or common reed)
Curly leaf pondweed
Noxious weeds are identified in two categories under the Michigan Seed Law (Act 329 of 1965) and Regulations 715 (Under Act 329) Seed Law Implementation.Prohibited noxious weeds – seeds of these species are prohibited as contaminants in seed offered for sale:
Ragweed (Common and Giant)
Hoary alyssum
Mustards
Whitetop (aka hoary cress, peppergrass)
Plumeless thistle
Musk thistle
Spotted knapweed
Russian knapweed
Canada thistle
Bull thistle
Field bindweed
Hedge bindweed
Dodder
Yellow nutsedge
Wild carrot
Leafy spurge
Morningglory
Serrated tussock
Poison ivy
Horsenettle
Perennial sowthistle
Johnsongrass
Poison sumac
Puncturevine
Restricted noxious weed seeds – generally, the limit is one seed per 2,000 of agricultural seed offered for sale:
In addition, Michigan also has the “Noxious Weeds Act 359 of 1941” with amendments through 2010. This act is intended to control and eradicate certain noxious weeds. It allows townships, villages and cities to have a lien for expenses incurred in controlling and eradicating these weeds, among other things. In addition to a listing of “noxious weeds” similar to those above, this act allows governing bodies of counties, townships, villages and cities to include other plants regarded as a common nuisance.
Print
Email
