Weeds are plants growing where you don't want them. And Idaho has some really unwanted weeds. They're called "noxious weeds." Noxious means harmful or destructive. A special Idaho law lists what weeds are noxious. Only 35 weeds have that distinction in Idaho!

Noxious weeds are the Darth Vaders of the plant world. Aggressive, hardy and a big problem for the environment. Let's find out why.
1. These weeds spread super fast.
2. They are really hard to get rid of.
3. They are not native to Idaho or, in most cases, to the United States.
4. They choke out native plants.

Why are they a problem? These plants came to the U.S. without the plant predators and diseases they have in their native country. There's nothing here that naturally kills them. They can survive better than native plants. What happens to animal habitat when the native plants are gone?

Not so cool facts:

• Puncturevine has sharp burs and can punch a hole in your bike tire, a light truck tire, or - yikes! - your bare foot. You might know it as "goathead." Puncture vine came from Europe, probably because a seed was stuck in someone's shoe!
• A single purple loosestrife plant can produce more than 2.5 million seeds a year. That's why it spreads so quickly along waterways.
• Leafy spurge causes blisters in people and animals. If you rub its gooey, milky sap in your eyes, it can cause blindness. Leafy spurge came from Europe and Asia in the 1890s.
• Leafy spurge can sink its roots 20 feet into the ground. No wonder they're tough to kill. Better not try pulling that weed out by hand. Augh!

Weed Out These Fact to Remember:
- Not all weeds are noxious - Idaho law labels only certain weeds as "noxious."
- Noxious weeds replace native plants in an ecosystem. Native animals lose part of their habitat.
- Learn what noxious weeds look like and avoid them. You might be spreading thousands of noxious weed seeds without even knowing it!