What are Noxious Weeds?

Noxious weeds are plants that the Kansas Legislature has declared to have a negative impact on agriculture, man, the environment or the economy.

• KS Noxious Weeds Booklet

The weeds declared noxious are shown below.  Click on any image for more photos and details about the weed.

Noxious Weeds currently found in Johnson County: Field Bindweed, Johnsongrass, Musk Thistle, Sericea Lespedeza.

Impacts of Noxious Weeds

Weeds, including those declared noxious, impacted the U.S. economy by an estimated 55 billion dollars in 2012.  Invasive species, including noxious weeds, are the #2 threat to native biodiversity, worldwide.  Additionally, noxious and invasive weeds pose a threat to electrical utility reliability, municipal water sources and the safety of our food supply.

General Notice to Control Noxious Weeds

The Kansas Noxious Weed Law K.S.A. 2-1314 et seq requires all persons who own or supervise land in Kansas to control and eradicate all weeds declared noxious by legislative action. The weeds declared noxious are: Bur ragweed, Canada thistle, Field bindweed, Hoary cress, Johnsongrass, Kudzu, Leafy spurge, Musk thistle, Pignut, Quackgrass, Russian knapweed and Sericea lespedeza. Notice is hereby given pursuant to the Kansas Noxious Weed Law to every person who owns or supervises land in Johnson County, that noxious weeds growing or found on such land shall be controlled and eradicated. Control is defined as preventing the production of viable seed and the vegetative spread of the plant.

Failure to observe this notice may result in the County:

1. Serving a legal notice requiring control of the noxious weeds within a minimum of 5 days. Failure to control the noxious weeds within the time period allowed may result in the County treating the weeds at the owner’s expense and placing a lien on the property if the bill is not paid within 30 days or,
2. Conviction for non-compliance may result in being charged with a misdemeanor and fines of $100.00 per day up to $1500.

The public is also hereby notified that it is a violation of the Kansas Noxious Weed Law to barter, sell or give away infested nursery stock or livestock feed, unless the feed is fed on the farm where grown, or sold to a commercial processor that will destroy the viability of the noxious weed seed. Custom harvesting machines must be labeled with a label provided by the Kansas Department of Agriculture and must be free of all weed seed and litter when entering the State and when leaving a field infested with noxious weeds. Additional information may be obtained from the Johnson County Noxious Weed Department (913-715-8358) or by contacting the Kansas Department of Agriculture 109 S. W. 9th Topeka, Kansas 66612. (785-296-3556).