Absinthium – Artemisia absinthium IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 42 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Absinthium as a noxious weed.
North Dakota noxious weeds
North Dakota (ND) lists 11 plants as noxious weeds under N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02. North Dakota's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell.
What plants are invasive in North Dakota?
North Dakota names 11 plants, including Purple Loosestrife, Canada Thistle and Leafy Spurge. A noxious-weed listing obliges control and limits movement; it does not by itself ban nursery sale. 10 of the 11 are also flagged invasive by GRIIS, which is an ecological finding rather than a ruling by North Dakota. Checked against N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02 on July 20, 2026.
Butter and Eggs – Linaria vulgaris IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 26 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Butter and Eggs as a noxious weed.
Canada Thistle – Cirsium arvense IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 38 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Canada Thistle as a noxious weed.
Dalmatian Toadflax – Linaria dalmatica IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 3 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Dalmatian Toadflax as a noxious weed.
Diffuse Knapweed – Centaurea diffusa Not recorded hereInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in no North Dakota county. North Dakota lists Diffuse Knapweed as a noxious weed.
European Wand Loosestrife – Lythrum virgatum Not recorded hereListed
Recorded in no North Dakota county. North Dakota lists European Wand Loosestrife as a noxious weed.
Gypsyflower – Cynoglossum officinale IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 11 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Gypsyflower as a noxious weed.
Leafy Spurge – Euphorbia esula IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 52 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Leafy Spurge as a noxious weed.
Nodding Plumeless Thistle – Carduus nutans IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 7 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Nodding Plumeless Thistle as a noxious weed.
Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum salicaria IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 1 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Purple Loosestrife as a noxious weed.
Spotted Knapweed – Centaurea stoebe IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 2 of North Dakota’s 53 counties. North Dakota lists Spotted Knapweed as a noxious weed.
No plant on North Dakota’s list matches that.
Want to check a plant by photo or county?
Use our “Is it native” tool for free.Compiled from the rule itself, retrieved July 20, 2026. Law changes; if you spot a listing we have wrong or stale, tell us at support@getezina.com.
The same list as a table
| Plant | Scientific name | Status | Plant instead |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absinthium | Artemisia absinthium | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| Butter and Eggs | Linaria vulgaris | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| Canada Thistle | Cirsium arvense | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| Dalmatian Toadflax | Linaria dalmatica | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| Diffuse Knapweed | Centaurea diffusa | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| European Wand Loosestrife | Lythrum virgatum | ListedNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | Canada Goldenrod, Cutleaf Waterparsnip, Common Cowparsnip |
| Gypsyflower | Cynoglossum officinale | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| Leafy Spurge | Euphorbia esula | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| Nodding Plumeless Thistle | Carduus nutans | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
| Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | Canada Goldenrod, Cutleaf Waterparsnip, Common Cowparsnip |
| Spotted Knapweed | Centaurea stoebe | ListedInvasiveNorth Dakota says “noxious weed” | — |
Where this comes from
- North Dakota listings
- N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02. Read the rule.
- Invasive status
- GRIIS, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species, via GBIF, covering the lower 48 states. A scientific register with no legal force; it is cited separately from the statute above because the two disagree far more often than they agree. Garden crops it flags only for spreading from cultivation are left out after review.
- Status wording
- The Prohibited / Restricted / Listed chips are Ezina’s normalisation across 44 states and are not the legal term. Where North Dakota’s own word for a plant differs from the chip, it is quoted verbatim beneath it.
- Nativity
- USDA PLANTS county distribution layer, surfaced through the county checker.
Regulated next door, but not in North Dakota
Plants that two or more states bordering North Dakota regulate, and North Dakota does not. A listing is a legal act rather than an ecological one, so a plant can be a documented problem here and still be sold here.
- Common Reed Phragmites australis regulated in Minnesota, Montana
- Japanese Knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum regulated in Minnesota, Montana
- Lenspod Whitetop Cardaria chalepensis regulated in Montana, South Dakota
- Saltcedar Tamarix ramosissima regulated in Minnesota, South Dakota
- Tansy Tanacetum vulgare regulated in Minnesota, Montana
- Yellow Star-Thistle Centaurea solstitialis regulated in Minnesota, Montana
Questions
Is there an official North Dakota invasive species list?
Not under that name. North Dakota's legal list is a noxious-weed list: 11 plants named under N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02, an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell. GRIIS, the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species, flags 10 of these 11 as invasive in the lower 48 states. That is an ecological finding, not a ruling by North Dakota. This page shows both side by side.
What plants are illegal to sell in North Dakota?
North Dakota's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law, which governs control and spread on farmland and rights of way rather than what a nursery may sell. 11 plants are named under N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02. A noxious-weed listing does not automatically ban nursery sale, so check the rule itself before assuming a plant cannot be bought or sold.
Is my plant invasive in North Dakota?
Search the table on this page for North Dakota's legal determination, then look for the Invasive chip beside it, which is a separate ecological finding from GRIIS rather than a ruling by North Dakota. A plant can carry one, both, or neither. For an address-level answer, enter the plant's name in Ezina's checker to get its North Dakota status alongside whether USDA records it as native to your specific county. Every answer links the record it came from.
Is it illegal to plant these in North Dakota?
Not necessarily, and the distinction matters. North Dakota's list is an agricultural noxious-weed law: it obliges landowners to control these plants and restricts moving them, rather than making the act of planting one an offence in itself. N.D. Admin. Code 7-06-01-02 is the text that says what is actually required of you, and it is linked beside every plant here.
Does a plant missing from this list mean it is safe to plant in North Dakota?
No. This page reproduces what North Dakota regulates, and a state list is a legal instrument rather than an ecological verdict. Plenty of plants spread aggressively without ever being listed, and states add species years after the problem is documented.
Grow natives easily with Ezina
How it works
We provide the tools you need to succeed.
010.1Identify
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
010.2Care
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
010.3Plan
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Add a plant
Snap a photo or type the name. Ezina matches it to a library of about 40,000 species and starts a care plan tailored to your zone, the local weather, and the time of year.
Get a care plan
A schedule built from local rain, temperature, and sun, not a fixed weekly cadence. You get a single notification when a plant actually needs water. Easily add treatments for diseases and pests.
Explore new options
Our garden planner Dig helps you understand what works best for your location and makes suggestions based off your long term goals.
Compiled from peer-reviewed research, USDA documentation,
and direct scientific observation across the United States.