Acacia
Acacia spp
There are a few species that are in the Santa Cruz area which are intensely invasive. The most common is seen along the entrance to Highway 17. The leaves are feathery with a gray-green hue. Many people find themselves sneezing as they encounter the yellow flowers in early spring. These trees, can grow to 40 feet and spread by underground runners.
Native Alternatives: Willow; Salix spp., Western Alder; Alnus rubra, Big Leaf Maple; Acer macrophyllum, Tan Bark Oak; Lithocarpus densiflorus
European Beach Grass
Ammophila arenaria
This plant was brought to California from Europe to help stabilize the sand dunes. Unfortunately, they did too good of a job which in turn has flooded out the natives. It has also hindered the sand dunes natural characteristics.
Native Alternatives: In the dune areas reintroduce the some of the original coastal natives such as, Lizard Tail Eriophyllum staechadifolium, Coastal Buckwheat; Eriogonum latifolium, Pacific Reed Grass; Calamagrostis nutkaensis,
For more see Ice plant native alternatives.
Iceplant
Carpobrotus edulis
Native Alternatives: Seaside daisy; Erigeron glaucus, Sand strawberry; Fragaria chiloensis, Mock Heather; Ericameria ericoides, Beach Evening Primrose; Camissonia cheiranthifolia, Beach sagewort; Artemesia pycnocephala, Yellow Sand Verbena; Abronia latifolia, Bluff Lettuce; Dudleya caepitosa
Non-native Alternatives: Hardy iceplant; Delosperma cooperi, Freeway Daisy; Osteospermum fruticosum, Wall germander; Teucrium chamaedrys, Showy dewflower; Drosanthemum floribundum.
Picture on right: Dudleya caepitosa
Poison Hemlock
Conium maculatum
It seems like this
nasty invasive is taking over everywhere throughout the whole of
California. It is a biennial, which is in the Carrot Family and is
quite hard to get rid of. The most common method of elimination is
mowing to the ground prior to flower for three years. Let’s all work
together to eradicate this pest!
Native Alternative: Sticky Monkey Flower; Mimulus aurantiacus (aka Diplacus), Yarrow; Achillea Millefolium
Pampas Grass
Cortaderia selloana
The wind is Pampas’
most common seed spreader; it can actually carry the seeds up to 20
miles. These are seen on Eaton St. along the railroad tracks, as well
as Water St. and everywhere else in Santa Cruz. It is a difficult one to
eradicate, but it is necessary that we gain control as it is a fire
hazard, reduces wildlife habitat and limits conservation.
Native Alternatives: see European beach grass alternatives.
Non-native Alternatives: Cape thatching reed; Chondropetalum tectorum, Lindheimer’s muhly grass; Muhlenbergia lindheimeri, San Diego sedge; Carex spissa, Bigelow’s bear grass; Nolina bigelovii
Cotoneaster
Cotoneaster lacteus, C. pannosus
Native Alternatives: Toyon; Heteromeles arbutifolia, Coffeeberry; Rhamnus californica,
Non-native
Alternatives: Pineapple guava; Feijoa sellowiana, Strawberry Tree;
Arbutus unedo, Sandankwa viburnum; Viburnum suspensum, Calamondin;
Citrus mitis
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus globules
See Acacia alternatives.
French Broom
Genista monspessulana
I think this may be
one that we all know of, the bright yellow pea like flower seen all
over everywhere! This plant has an extremely high seed bank within our
soils which they add to by the millions each year. They are a serious
fire hazard and have destroyed plant and animal communities.
Native Alternatives: Golden Currant; Ribes aureum, Oso Berry; Oemlaria cerasiformis, Dogwood; Cornus sericea
Non-native
alternatives: Forsythia; Forsythia x intermedia, Winter Jasmine;
Jasminum nudiflorum, Japanese kerria; Kerria japonica, Jerusalem sage;
Phlomis fruticosa
English Ivy
Hedera helix
Native Alternatives: Wild Ginger; Asarum caudatum, Alum root; Heuchera spp., Bearberry; Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Non-native
Alternatives: Pachysandra; Pachysandra terminalis, Serbian bellflower;
Campanula poscharskyana, Ivory star jasmine or Asian jasmine;
Trachelospermum asiaticum, Taiwan raspberry; Rubus pentalobus, Bear’s
foot hellebore; Helleborus foetidus, Winter saxifrage; Bergenia
cordifolia
Licorice Plant
Helichrysum petiolare
Native Alternatives: Yerba Buena; Satureja Douglasii, Coast Purple
Sage; Salvia leucophylla, St. Catherine’s Lace; Eriogonum giganteum,
Stonecrop; Sedum Spathifolium, California Sagebrush; Artemesia
californica
Non-native alternatives: Bush Germander; Teucrium fruticans, Jersusalem Sage; Phlomis fruticosa
Forget-me-not
Myosotis latifolia
This one may come as a shock to you, because of its quaint beauty and
pretty blue flower, but it is being spotted along trails in the Santa
Cruz mountains.
Native Alternatives: There is a native California forget-me-not called
Hound’s Tongue; Cynoglossum grande, Blue Eyed Grass, Sisrynchium
bellum, Lilac Verbena; Verbena lilacina
See Licorice Plant alternatives
Kikuyugrass
Pennisetum clandestinum
This was a common garden grass, which has turned into a pest. The seeds
are spread easily and quickly by means of wind and wildlife. It is in
the same family as the safe garden grasses, Pennisetum orientale,
Pennisetum cupreum.
See European beach grass, ice plant and pampas grass alternatives
Himalaya Blackberry
Rubus procerus
Even though they produce a delicious fruit they are a common invasive
in our gardens and roadsides. They are in the same family as our
native counterparts but have normally have a 5 lobed leaf with larger
stems and thorns.
Native Alternatives: Thimbleberry; Rubus parviflorus velutinus,
California blackberry; Rubus ursinus, California raspberry; Rubus
glaucifolius
Periwinkle
Vinca major
This has been a pest for quite some time, even though it is still sold
in nurseries and is a common garden plant. The problem is that is
overrunning our native riparian areas and not allowing the native
plants to flourish and grow.
See English ivy alternatives
For methods of removal and more information please visit the following websites
A Plague of Plants
Controlling Santa Cruz County’s Invasive Plants
www.wildwork.org
Cal-IPC
California Invasive Plant Council
www.cal-ipc.org
Sustainable Conservation
www.suscon.org
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