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What is a Noxious Weed?
In general terms the definition of noxious is: Harmful to living things; injurious to health. In Ontario, 25 weeds are considered noxious under the Weed Control Act. They include:
- Black Dog-Strangling Vine
- Bull Thistle
- Canada Thistle
- Coltsfoot
- Common Barberry
- Common Crupina
- Cypress Spurge
- Dodder
- Dog-Strangling Vine
- European Buckthorn
- Giant Hogweed
- Jointed Goatgrass
- Knapweed
- Kudzu
- Leafy Spurge
- Poison Hemlock
- Poison Ivy
- Ragweed
- Serrated Tussock
- Smooth Bedstraw
- Sow Thistle
- Tansy Ragwort
- Wild Chervil
- Wild Parsnip
- Woolly Cupgrass
For more information regarding noxious weeds in Ontario, visit the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
Did you know? Noxious weeds are a risk to personal safety and impact local ecosystems.
| Township Responsibilities |
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It is the responsibility of all land owners to control noxious weeds on their property. The Township has developed a proactive approach for the management and control of noxious weeds. For the last several years the Township has been identifying, mapping and updating Wild Chervil locations across the region, assisted authorities with field research and continued to control their right-of-way by mowing infested areas. |
| Responsibilities of Property Owners |
| Owners and occupiers of land, municipal, rural and urban, are reminded that it is their responsibility to control all declared noxious weeds under the Noxious Weeds Act. Failure to do so leaves owners and occupiers liable for considerable fines. The aim of weed control is to deplete weed seed reserves and prevent further replenishment of the seed store by preventing growth of the weed. |
| Wild Chervil |
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Wild Chervil is an aggressive invasive weed that will smother out other vegetation and dramatically affect crop yields. It is a Biennial plant that will start to grow and flower in May and by early June can already be producing seed. Since Wild Chervil relies on seed to reproduce, weekly mowing is necessary to keep the plant from flowering. These plants are not toxic to touch and it is recommended to pull or dig out the tap roots if possible. If the plants have matured and are coming out in flower the plant is ready to go to seed, cut them as low to the ground as possible and place them in a clear plastic garbage bag so that the seeds won’t spread and leave it in the sun. Once the plants have dried up and died they can be incinerated. See Figure 1 above to identify wild chervil. |
| Giant Hogweed |
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Giant Hogweed is a toxic noxious weed that can cause serious health hazards. Its clear watery sap can cause severe dermatitis and burning of the skin and has known to blind a person if there is contact with the eyes. These plants have been known to grow over 6 feet tall and have a large flower heads that produce thousands of seeds. What does it look like? Giant Hogweed looks similar to cow parsnip and can be about 4.5 to 6 metres (15 to 20 feet) tall. The plant has:
What are the symptoms and health effects? If you touch clear watery sap from the plant’s stem or hairs, you could experience a reaction within 48 hours:
What should I do if I come in contact with it? If clear watery sap from the plant’s stem or hairs touches your skin or eyes:
What should I do if I find it? If you find Giant Hogweed in a park or other area, call the Operations Department: 519 376 2729 x. 304. If you find Giant Hogweed on your property, remove the plant as soon as possible. We recommend you hire a lawn care professional to remove the plants. If you wish to remove the Giant Hogweed yourself, it is very important to take the following safety precautions:
See Figure 2 above to identify giant hogweed. |
| Resources |