Minnesota Noxious Weed Risk Assessments

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Noxious Weed Advisory Committee (NWAC) completes risk assessments for terrestrial plants being reviewed for possible listing as noxious weeds in the state of Minnesota. The NWAC includes representation from a variety of groups interested in and affected by the regulation of noxious weeds including environmental advocates, state and local government, academe, and trade and farm organizations. Based on the results of these risk assessments, the committee recommends to the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture whether or not a species should be regulated under the Minnesota Noxious Weed Law.

While the Minnesota Invasive Species Advisory Council (MISAC) did not create these risk assessments, they are posted on the MISAC website to help those interested in additional information about these species and the process for regulation. For additional information, visit the Noxious and Invasive Weed Program section of the MDA website.

A PDF copy of the Minnesota Plant Risk Assessment & Management Protocol can be accessed here.  


Common Name                                    Date          Scientific Name
Amur Honeysuckle                               2014 Lonicera maackii Amur Corktree 2021 Phellodendron amurense
Amur Maple                                          2015 Acer ginnala Amur Silvergrass 2022 Miscanthus sacchariflorus
Baby’s Breath 2020 Gypsophila paniculata and Gypsophila paniculata var. paniculata Bell's Honeysuckle                               2014 Lonicera x bella
Birdsfoot Trefoil                                    2015 Lotus corniculatus
Black Locust                                         2022 Robinia pseudoacacia
Black Swallow-wort                              2012          Cynanchum louiseae Blue mustard 2018 Chorispora tenella Bohemian Knotweed 2018 Polygonum x bohemicum
British Yellowhead                                2011 Inula britannica
Brown Knapweed                                 2012 Centaurea jacea Callery Pear 2022 Pyrus calleryana
Canada Thistle                                     2013 Cirsium arvense
Castor Bean 2021 Ricinus communis L.
Chinese Silver Grass                            2012         Miscanthus sinensis
Common Barberry                                2015 Berberis vulgaris
Common Tansy                                    2013 Tanacetum vulgare
Common Teasel                                   2016 Dipsacus fullonum
Cow Vetch                                           2015 Vicia cracca           
Crown Vetch                                        2015 Securigera varia Cutleaf Teasel 2019 Dipsacus laciniatus Dalmatian Toadflax 2019 Linaria dalmatica
Diffuse Knapweed                               2014 Centaurea diffusa
Eastern & Western Poison Ivy             2013 Toxicodendron radicans and T. rydbergii
Elecampane                                         2014 Inula helenium European Black Alder 2019 Alnus glutinosa
European Buckthorn                            2016        Rhamnus cathartica 
European Marsh Thistle                      2012 Cirsium palustre
Garden Valerian 2021 Valeriana officinalis L.
Garlic Mustard                                      2013 Alliaria petiolata
Giant Hogweed                                    2022 Heracleum mantegazzianum Giant Knotweed 2018 Polygonum sachalinese
Giant Miscanthus                                2012        Miscanthus x giganteus 
Glossy Buckthorn (and Cultivars)        2016 Frangula alnus Grecian Foxglove 2019 Digitalis lanata
Hairy Vetch                                          2015 Vicia villosa          
Hoary Alyssum                                    2017 Berteroa incana
Honeyberry                                     2021 Lonicera caerulea L.
Hound's Tongue, Gypsyflower            2012 Cynoglossum officinale
Iberian Starthistle                                2015 Centaurea iberica
Japanese Barberry 2015 Berberis thunbergii
Japanese Hedgeparsley                    2015 Torilis japonica Japanese Honeysuckle 2018 Lonicera japonica
Japanese Hops                                  2016 Humulus japonicus Japanese Knotweed 2018 Polygonum cuspidatum
Japanese Tree Lilac 2021 Syringa reticulata Johnsongrass 2022 Sorghum halepense
Kudzu 2021 Pueraria montana Leafy Spurge                                      2013        Euphorbia esula 
Lesser celandine, fig buttercup 2020 Ficaria verna and Ranunculus ficaria Meadow Knapweed                            2022 Centaurea x moncktonii
Mexican Fireweed 2017 Bassia scoparia
Morrow's Honeysuckle                      2014 Lonicera morrowii
Multiflora Rose 2019 Rosa multiflora
Musk and Plumeless Thistles            2013 Carduus nutans and C. acanthoides
Narrowleaf Bittercress                        2016 Cardamine impatiens Non-native Phragmites  2021 Phragmites australis ssp. australis Norway Maple 2018 Acer platanoides Orange Hawkweed 2018 Hieracium aurantiacum
Pale Swallow-wort                              2022 Cynanchum rossicum
Palmer Amaranth                                2014 Amaranthus palmeri
Paradise Plant                                    2011 Daphne mezereum Plumeless Thistle 2019 Carduus acanthoides
Poison Hemlock                                  2022 Conium maculatum
Porcelain Berry                                  2014        Ampelopsis brevipedunculata 
Purple Loosetrife                                2013        Lythrum salicaria 
Purple Starthistle                                2015 Centaurea calcitrapa
Red Hailstone, goldencreeper 2020 Thladiantha dubia Reed Canarygrass                              2017    Phalaris arundinacea      Round Leaf Bittersweet 2022 Celastrus orbiculatus, formerly called Oriental bittersweet
Russian Knapweed                            2014 Acroptilon repens Saltcedar, tamarisk 2020 Tamarix ramosissima Siberian Elm 2020 Ulmus pumila Siberian Peashrub 2019 Caragana arborescens
Solidstem Burnet Saxifrage                2015 Pimpinella saxifraga
Spotted Knapweed                            2013 Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos
Squarrose Knapweed                        2015 Centaurea virgata
Tatarian Honeysuckle                        2014 Lonicera tatarica
Tatarian Maple 2020 Acer tataricum Tree of Heaven 2019 Ailanthus altissima
Viper's Bugloss                                  2011 Echium vulgare Winged Burning Bush 2019 Euonymus alatus
White Sweetclover                            2017 Melilotus alba
Wild Carrot / Queen Anne's Lace      2015 Dacus carota
Wild Parsnip                                        2016 Pastinaca sativa
Yellow and Dalmatian Toadflax         2011 Linaria vulgaris and L. dalmatica Yellow Hawkweed 2018 Hieracium caespitosum Yellow Starthistle 2022 Centaurea solstitialis
Yellow Sweetclover                            2017 Melilotus officinalis