Absinthium – Artemisia absinthium IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 15 of South Dakota’s 66 counties. South Dakota lists Absinthium as a statewide noxious weed.
South Dakota noxious weeds
South Dakota (SD) lists 7 plants as noxious weeds under ARSD 12:62:03:01.06. South 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 South Dakota?
South Dakota names 7 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. 6 of the 7 are also flagged invasive by GRIIS, which is an ecological finding rather than a ruling by South Dakota. Checked against ARSD 12:62:03:01.06 on July 20, 2026.
Canada Thistle – Cirsium arvense IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 20 of South Dakota’s 66 counties. South Dakota lists Canada Thistle as a statewide noxious weed.
Field Sowthistle – Sonchus arvensis IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 23 of South Dakota’s 66 counties. South Dakota lists Field Sowthistle as a statewide noxious weed.
Leafy Spurge – Euphorbia esula IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 46 of South Dakota’s 66 counties. South Dakota lists Leafy Spurge as a statewide noxious weed.
Lenspod Whitetop – Cardaria chalepensis Not recorded hereListed
Recorded in no South Dakota county. South Dakota lists Lenspod Whitetop as a statewide noxious weed.
Purple Loosestrife – Lythrum salicaria IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 1 of South Dakota’s 66 counties. South Dakota lists Purple Loosestrife as a statewide noxious weed.
Saltcedar – Tamarix ramosissima IntroducedInvasive
Invasive in the US, and recorded in 3 of South Dakota’s 66 counties. South Dakota lists Saltcedar as a statewide noxious weed.
No plant on South 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 | ListedInvasiveSouth Dakota says “statewide noxious weed” | — |
| Canada Thistle | Cirsium arvense | ListedInvasiveSouth Dakota says “statewide noxious weed” | — |
| Field Sowthistle | Sonchus arvensis | ListedInvasiveSouth Dakota says “statewide noxious weed” | — |
| Leafy Spurge | Euphorbia esula | ListedInvasiveSouth Dakota says “statewide noxious weed” | — |
| Lenspod Whitetop | Cardaria chalepensis | ListedSouth Dakota says “statewide noxious weed” | — |
| Purple Loosestrife | Lythrum salicaria | ListedInvasiveSouth Dakota says “statewide noxious weed” | Canada Goldenrod, Cutleaf Waterparsnip, Common Cowparsnip |
| Saltcedar | Tamarix ramosissima | ListedInvasiveSouth Dakota says “statewide noxious weed” | — |
Where this comes from
- South Dakota listings
- ARSD 12:62:03:01.06. 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 South 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 South Dakota
Plants that two or more states bordering South Dakota regulate, and South 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.
- Diffuse Knapweed Centaurea diffusa regulated in Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota
- Common Reed Phragmites australis regulated in Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska
- Dalmatian Toadflax Linaria dalmatica regulated in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota
- Spotted Knapweed Centaurea stoebe regulated in Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota
- Butter and Eggs Linaria vulgaris regulated in Montana, North Dakota
- European Wand Loosestrife Lythrum virgatum regulated in Nebraska, North Dakota
- Field Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis regulated in Iowa, Montana
- Giant Knotweed Polygonum sachalinense regulated in Minnesota, Nebraska
- Gypsyflower Cynoglossum officinale regulated in Montana, North Dakota
- Hardheads Acroptilon repens regulated in Iowa, Montana
- Japanese Knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum regulated in Minnesota, Montana
- Japanese Knotweed Fallopia japonica (potentially invasive weed) regulated in Montana, Nebraska
- Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora regulated in Iowa, Minnesota
- Nodding Plumeless Thistle Carduus nutans regulated in Nebraska, North Dakota
- Poison Hemlock Conium maculatum regulated in Iowa, Minnesota
Questions
Is there an official South Dakota invasive species list?
Not under that name. South Dakota's legal list is a noxious-weed list: 7 plants named under ARSD 12:62:03:01.06, 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 6 of these 7 as invasive in the lower 48 states. That is an ecological finding, not a ruling by South Dakota. This page shows both side by side.
What plants are illegal to sell in South Dakota?
South 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. 7 plants are named under ARSD 12:62:03:01.06. 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 South Dakota?
Search the table on this page for South 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 South 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 South 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 South Dakota?
Not necessarily, and the distinction matters. South 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. ARSD 12:62:03:01.06 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 South Dakota?
No. This page reproduces what South 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.