Buckthorn is an understory small tree or large shrub that aggressively invades wetland and upland areas.  It can be seen in two common forms, which are “common” or European buckthorn and “glossy” buckthorn.  Buckthorn can be difficult, time consuming and expensive to manage.

Bucktorn can often be seen with green leaves late into fall.

Garlic mustard is a biennial herbaceous plant that gets to be 1-3 feet high during its second season (flowering season).  Garlic mustard spreads into woodland and forested areas, often taking over the forest floor.  It can commonly be seen in woodlands since it is the only plant with white flowers (at its height) in May.  Garlic mustard in on the MDA “Prohibited noxious weeds” list.  Garlic mustard is best managed with a combination of mechanical (pulling, cutting) and chemical (spraying) means.

Purple loosestrife is listed on the MDA “Prohibited noxious weeds” list and the sale and purchase is prohibited in Minnesota (and many other states).  Purple loosestrife in a herbaceous perennial that invades many types of wetlands including meadows, streams, ponds, banks, ditches on lake shorelines.  Purple loosestrife is difficult to control and usually needs several types of control methods to be effective.  This may be mechanical (pulling, digging) and chemical (spot spraying).