 Russian olives are fast growing and they'll grow just about anywhere. Because of this, they've been popular choices in the past as windbreaks and shade trees in Wyoming. However, the Wyoming Department of Agriculture recently listed Russian olives as noxious weeds. You may be wondering why this was done. Well, first of all, Russian olives are not native to Wyoming and they have their fair share of drawbacks. Since they grow so fast, they can quickly take over everything else in the landscape. Also, they use quite a bit of water and will deprive other plants of the water and nutrients they need to grow and thrive. So what does this noxious weed designation mean for you? Noxious weeds cannot be sold or transported in the state. So if you are hoping to add them to your landscape, you'll have to come up with plan B. Second, a noxious weed listing gives you the opportunity to get financial help from your local weed and pest district if you'd like to control any noxious weeds on your property. Thankfully, there are several alternatives to Russian olives, such as lilacs and silver buffalo berry. For a complete list of good alternatives, you can contact your local county extension office. From the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service, I'm Barton Stamm, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.