Skip to content

Notifications

Government mail service may be affected by the Canada Post labour disruption. Learn about how critical government mail will be handled.

Popular topics:

Alberta.ca Account
Part of Weed management

Provincially regulated weeds

Alberta’s Weed Control Act states that prohibited noxious weeds must be destroyed and noxious weeds must be controlled.

Explore pages in:
Weed management

Important notices

  • Effective January 28, 2026, the list of regulated weed species was updated with additions of new species and select hybrids, reclassifications and removals to reflect current conditions. Perennial sow thistle and Creeping bellflower were removed from regulation.
  • Glyphosate Resistant Kochia Map

Legislation

The current Weed Control Act was proclaimed in 2010. Plants listed in the accompanying Weed Control Regulation are a threat to the province’s environment, economy and society.

Under the Weed Control Act, noxious weeds and prohibited noxious weeds must be destroyed.

Act

The Alberta Weed Control Act enables the Minister’s authority to declare noxious or prohibited noxious weeds that present significant economic, social or ecological risks. The act states that prohibited noxious weeds must be destroyed and noxious weeds must be controlled. It describes the duties of individuals, local authorities, municipalities and the Crown related to the prevention, control and destruction of weeds.

Regulation

The Weed Control Regulation includes a schedule of declared noxious and prohibited noxious weeds. It also describes seed cleaning facility licensing procedures and the requirements of the appeal process for notices.

Provincially regulated weeds

Read the fact sheets for prohibited noxious and noxious weeds legislated under the Weed Control Act through the Alberta Invasive Species Council.

Prohibited noxious weeds

The following plants are designated as prohibited noxious weeds and includes the plant’s seeds. Prohibited noxious weeds pose a serious threat as they spread rapidly and are highly competitive. This weed designation is a regulatory support for an ‘Early Detection, Rapid Response’ stage of invasive plant management.

Plants in this category are either not currently found in Alberta, or are found in few locations such that eradication could be possible:

  • African Rue (Peganum hermala)
  • Alkali swainsonpea (Sphaerophysa salsula)
  • Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)
  • Black swallowwort (Vincetoxicum nigrum)
  • Common barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
  • Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
  • Common crupina (Crupina vulgaris)
  • Common St John's-wort (Hypericum perforatum)
  • Dyer's woad (Isatis tinctoria)
  • Eurasian water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)
  • Field Thesium (Thesium ramosum)
  • Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus)
  • Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
  • Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
  • Hawkweed (Hieracium) species*:
    • Common hawkweed (Hieracium lachenalii)
    • European hawkweed (Hieraciaum sabaudum)
    • Polar hawkweed (Hieracium atratum)
    • Smooth hawkweed (Hieracium laevigatum)
    • Spotted hawkweed (Hieracium maculatum)
    • Wall hawkweed (Hieracium murorum)
      • *Hieracium hawkweed species and all hybrids resulting from the crossing of this species are regulated.
  • Himalayan balsam (Impatiens glandulifera)
  • Hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana)
  • Invasive Phragmites (Phragmites australis)
  • Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
  • Jointed goatgrass (Aegilops cylindrica)
  • Knotweed species:
    • Giant knotweed (Reynoutria sachalinensis)
    • Hybrid Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria × bohemica)
    • Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica)
  • Marsh thistle (Cirsium palustre)
  • Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusa)
  • Nodding thistle (Carduus nutans)
  • Pale/European swallowwort (Vincetoxicum rossicum)
  • Pale yellow iris (Iris pseudacorus)
  • Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri)
  • Plumeless thistle (Carduus acanthoides)
  • Puncturevine (Tribulus terrestris)
  • Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
  • Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota)
  • Red bartsia (Odontites vernus)
  • Rush skeletonweed (Chondrilla juncea)
  • Russian knapweed (Rhaponticum repens)
  • Saltlover (Halogeton glomeratus)
  • Sulphur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)
  • Tamarix species:
    • Salt cedar (Tamarix ramosissima)
    • Chinese tamarisk (Tamarix chinensis)
    • Smallflower tamarisk (Tamarix parviflora)
  • Tall Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus)
  • Tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris/Senecio Jacobaea)
  • Ventenata – (Ventenata dubia)
  • Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)
  • Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis)

Noxious weeds

The following plants are designated as noxious weeds and includes the plant’s seeds. Noxious weeds have the ability to spread rapidly, cause severe crop losses and economic hardship.

This weed designation is a regulatory support for a containment stage of invasive plant management. A local authority may conduct control programs for these weeds if they feel they may have significant ecological or economic impact on lands within their municipality.

Plants in this category are widely distributed in Alberta:

  • Black henbane (Hyoscyamus niger)
  • Blueweed (Echium vulgare)
  • Broad-leaved Pepper-grass (Lepidium latifolium)
  • Burdock (Arctium) species**:
    • Great burdock (Arctium lappa)
    • Lesser burdock (Arctium minus)
    • Woolly burdock (Arctium tomentosum)
  • Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)
  • Common baby’s-breath (Gypsophila paniculata)
  • Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus)
  • Common tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
  • Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica)
  • Dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
  • Downy brome (Bromus tectorum)
  • Field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis)
  • Field scabious (Knautia arvensis)
  • Hawkweed (Pilosella) species**:
    • Kingdevil hawkweed (Pilosella floribunda)
    • Meadow hawkweed (Pilosella caepitosa)
    • Mouse-ear hawkweed (Pilosella officinarum)
    • Orange hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca)
    • Queendevil hawkweed (Pilosella praealta)
    • Tall hawkweed (Pilosella piloselloides)
    • Whiplash hawkweed (Pilosella flagellaris)
    • Yellowdevil hawkweed (Pilosella glomerata)
  • Hoary cress species:
    • Glove-podded hoary cress (Lepidium appelianum)
    • Heart-podded hoary cress (Lepidium draba)
    • Lens-podded hoary cress (Lepidium chalepense)
  • Hound's-tongue (Cynoglossum officinale)
  • Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus)
  • Knapweed species**:
    • Bighead knapweed (Centaurea macrocephala)
    • Black knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
    • Brown knapweed (Centaurea jacea)
    • Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa)
    • Hybrid knapweed (Centaurea × psammogena)
    • Meadow knapweed (Centaurea × moncktonii)
    • Spotted knapweed (Centaurea stoebe ssp. micranthos)
    • Squarrose knapweed (Centaurea virgata ssp. Squarrosa)
    • Tyrol knapweed (Centaurea nigrescens)
  • Leafy spurge (Euphorbia esula)
  • Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
  • Scentless chamomile (Tripleurospermum inodorum)
  • Tall buttercup (Ranunculus acris)
  • White cockle (Silene latifolia ssp. alba)
  • Yellow clematis (Clematis tangutica)
  • Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

**Burdock (Arctium), Hawkweed (Pilosella) species and Knapweed (Centaurea) and all hybrids resulting from the crossing between these respective species are regulated.

Contact 310-FARM

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Toll free: 310-FARM (3276) (in Alberta)
Phone: 403-742-7901 (outside Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

Sign up for Agri-News

Related

Back to Weed management
Next Winter annual and perennial weed control