Bassia hyssopifolia (fivehook bassia)

Bassia hyssopifolia

Photo courtesy Joseph DiTomaso

Bassia hyssopifolia (fivehook bassia) is an annual herb (family Chenopodiaceae) found throughout California, except in high elevation areas in the northwestern region of the state and Sierra Nevada Mountains. It prefers wetland areas, alkaline habitats and disturbed places such as roadsides and fields. Fivehook bassia is acceptable forage for sheep in small amounts, but the foliage can be toxic in large quantities. The plant produces copious amounts of seed, but small populations can be controlled by mechanically removing plants before seed set. Mowing and grazing are not suitable control methods, as the plants commonly resprout from the base after such treatment.

Cal-IPC Inventory rating: Limited

Cal-IPC Resources on Bassia hyssopifolia

• California Invasive Plant Inventory Assessment Form (pdf) - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.
• Species account from Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands - Includes biology and management information.
• Cal-IPC News - Articles from our quarterly newsletter. Each issue is available as a pdf. (None for this species.)
• Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings - Presentations and papers from our annual Symposium. List of articles on Bassia hyssopifolia.

Cal-IPC News Articles

• None for this species.

Cal-IPC Symposium Proceedings

• Devender, T. R. V., R. S. Frlger, et al. (1997). Exotic plants in the Sonoran desert region, Arizona and Sonora. California Exotic Pest Plant Council Symposium '97. Concord, CA.

Other Resources on Bassia hyssopifolia

• USDA PLANTS database - Federal database with information on identification and distribution, and links to websites in individual states.
• Jepson Online Interchange for California Flora -Information on taxonomy, biology, and distribution from the UC Berkeley Jepson Herbarium.
• CalFlora - Distribution information by county based on submitted observations and herbarium specimens.
• The Nature Conservancy Management Summary - Information compiled by TNC land managers. Photos included for some species.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Natural Resource Projects Inventory - State database with information on resource management projects throughout California. Query by the species of interest.

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