Weedy Words
 | Author:
Allison Kosto, MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent |
Weedy Words
Allison Kosto
MSU Broadwater County Extension Agent
A weed, a simple plant, can become confusing and complicated when you start using words like invasive, introduced, exotic, native, non-native, naturalized or noxious to go with it. These words have distinct meanings that can be very important to the management and identification of these plants.
Let’s start with the definition of a weed. A weed is simply a misplaced plant. It’s a plant in a place where it is not wanted. It could be a dandelion in your lawn. It could be wild oats in a wheat field. It could be a daisy in the middle of your vegetable garden. Basically, any plant could be a weed if it’s growing where you want it to be. However, they often earn the name ‘weed’ though because they are often troublesome to nature by competing with the desirable plants for nutrients, water and light.
The next weedy word is an invasive plant. An invasive plant is also a weed, but a weed is not necessarily an invasive plant. Invasive species are plants that are not native. Another name for non-native plants is exotic or alien plants. These words can be used interchangeably. Basically, it is a plant that is in an area where it does not naturally exist. Invasive species are further defined under Federal Executive Order 13112 to be a species “whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.” Dandelions are a classic example of a weed. Dandelions are also an invasive species. They are native to Europe and Asia. Americans spend billions of dollars each year trying to control dandelions in their lawns causing a major economic impact.
Let’s take a quick sidebar to define a native species, also called an indigenous species. There are lots of different definitions of ‘native’. A generally accepted definition is that native plants are plants that grew naturally in the environment prior to the settlement of European immigrants. However, it is important to note that even within a plant’s native country, it can become invasive. An example of this is the plant palmer amaranth. Palmer amaranth is native to the southwest U.S. and northern Mexico. However, it has been transported across the United States via crops and is a very serious invasive plant in other areas of the U.S. Some states have even designated it a noxious weed, which we will discuss soon.
An introduced species is another common term in the plant world. This is also a non-native plant that was introduced outside of its native range. Many common crops are great examples of non-native species that were intentionally introduced to produce food or fiber. Wheat originated in the Middle East and is now a major crop in Montana through genetic breeding. Some introduced plants live among us without any negative impacts on the environment, but others can become serious issues escaping their bounds to become invasive plants.
Some introduced plants even become naturalized. This means that the plant reproduces and disperses on its own once in a new environment. An example of a naturalized plant is smooth bromegrass. It was imported from Hungary in 1884. It is now well established across the United States in mountain pastures and forests. The USDA even considers it a native grass in some areas.
The last term to define is noxious weed. A noxious weed is a plant that has been identified by a government body to be harmful to the environment, animals or human health. Noxious weeds are regulated and monitored by the government, and control or management of these weeds is required by law. In general, noxious weeds are non-native and invasive. The state of Montana has 36 plants designated as noxious weeds. Many of these may be familiar names including spotted knapweed, leafy spurge, houndstongue and Canada thistle. Additionally, Broadwater County has named six additional plants as noxious weeds including musk thistle, black henbane and burdock.
Noxious weeds affect more than 7.6 million acres in Montana and have many detrimental effects on the environment. They cause major ecological and economic impacts by displacing desirable or native plants, altering ecosystems, decreasing land value, and decreasing forage available for wildlife and livestock. Management of noxious weeds is extremely important.
MSU Extension in Broadwater County is an excellent resource for the identification and control of all types of weeds. Additionally, the Broadwater County Weed District is a resource for managing noxious weeds. Earlier this year, the Weed District started a cost-share program for control of noxious weeds in the county. Contact the MSU Extension Office in Broadwater County at 406-266-9242 or the Broadwater County Weed District at 406-266-9243.
