New regulations from the Georgia Department of Agriculture now prohibit the sale or distribution of any plant listed on the Federal Noxious Weed list or determined by the commissioner to be a public nuisance. The federal noxious weed regulations have been in place since 1995; However the new regulations include all varieties and cultivars of these species. Most noteworthy of these species is red baron, a cultivar of Imperata cylindrica (cogongrass). This plant is a major problem in the southern United States and there is an effort in Georgia to try and stifle an invasion before it reaches levels similar to that seen in Florida and Alabama. The efforts of the Georgia Department of Agriculture are a step in the right direction. Work to spread the word about these new regulations is needed. A consulting forester last week intercepted his neighbor who was going to plant Red Baron that she had ordered and received from Burgess Seed & Plant Co. in Bloomington, IL. Help spread the word!
You can view the federal noxious weed list at:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/plant_pest_info/weeds/downloads/weedlist2006.pdf
