A new edition of Idaho’s Noxious Weeds published by University of Idaho Extension strives to make identifying the state’s noxious weeds easier for landowners or weed control specialists.

The fourth edition offers new illustrations of leaf shapes and symbols to identify which weeds are poisonous. Written by University of Idaho Extension weed scientists Timothy Prather, Sandra Robins, and Don Morishita, the 124-page guidebook is designed for fieldwork and, at 4- by 6-inches, fits easily in a pocket. Since the university first published it in 1994, more than 100,000 copies have been distributed statewide. The new edition is already in its second printing.

Prather calls the new edition exciting.

“It’s very different. People will find it easier to read and easier to identify plants with information they need when trying to develop a control strategy.”

It lists 57 species of weeds Idaho law classifies as noxious and requires landowners to control.

The guide also provides instructions for submitting new plants for identification to the college’s Lambert Erickson Weed Diagnostic Lab at Moscow. More information about the lab is online at www.uidaho.edu/weeds.

Copies cost $5 plus shipping and handling. Order from Educational Publications Warehouse, University of Idaho CALS, P.O. Box 442240, Moscow, ID 83844-2240, or e-mail calspubs@uidaho.edu.