Minnesota invasive non-native terrestrial plants

Published by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
79 pages

Reviewed by Gary Bebeau

For those of you interested in which plants the State of Minnesota has considered to be invasive, your attention should focus on this small book published the Minnesota DNR. The book is 5 3/8” x 4 1/4”, 79 pages and available either ring bound or spiral bound. Each page is laminated so it is good for field use. The 37 plants on the DNR list as each represented by a single double sided page - photos on one side, identification, the nature of the threat and control methods listed on the opposite side.

While the usual suspects will be found here - such as Garlic Mustard, Buckthorn and Japanese Knotweed - some may be surprised at some of the other entries. Listed are 10 woody plants, 24 herbaceous plants and 3 grasses. Although the subtitle is “an identification guide for resource managers” most of us will find this guide quite useful. Of interest to The Friends, are those plants that grow in the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden.

While we know that a control campaign is in effect for the three usual suspects listed above, it is also necessary to keep an eye on the others so the Garden habitat is protected. Some of the plants on the list that appear in the Garden are: Oxeye daisy, Grecian foxglove, Leafy spurge, Creeping Charlie, Orange hawkweed, Yellow iris, Butter and eggs and Yellow sweet clover. While we consider some of these flowers to be particularly beautiful (I think especially of the Yellow Iris - Iris pseudacorus), control in any environment is essential.

Some readers will find some of these plants in their own garden or on their block. Particularly plentiful in the Twin City area are Japanese barberry, Russian Olive and Siberian Elm.

The book is available from the DNR bookstore. The current edition was revised in 2003.