Don't Plant a Pest

Ground covers of the Central Valley region

Invasive plants are listed in red boxes. Alternatives are listed below in green.
Invasive plants that are also a fire hazard are identified by this symbol: 

Invasive! Do Not Plant! Invasive!

More/larger photos English ivy or Algerian ivy Hedera helix or Hedera caneriensis Some ivy species in the Hedera genus are a problem in California. They can smother understory vegetation, kill trees, and harbor non-native rats and snails. It's difficult to distinguish problem species from less invasive ones. Do not plant ivy near natural areas, never dispose of ivy cuttings in natural areas, and maintain ivy so it never goes to fruit. Researchers hope to determine which ivies can be planted safely.

Invasive!   Do Not Plant!   Invasive!
More/larger photos periwinkle Vinca major This aggressive grower has trailing stems that root wherever they touch the soil. Their ability to resprout from stem fragments enables periwinkle to spread rapidly in shady creeks and drainages, smothering the native plant community.

Try these plants instead
More/larger photos Asian jasmine or ivory star jasmine Trachelospermum asiaticum Evergreen, vining groundcover up to 20 feet across. Has glossy, dark green leaves and pale yellow, pinwheel-shaped flowers with a jasmine scent.

More/larger photos pachysandra Pachysandra terminalis Grows more slowly than Vinca spp. and Hedera spp., but has a crisp, neat growth form. New foliage is bright green, changing to dark green with age. Small white flowers on 1-2 inch spikes. Withstands shade and is widely used under trees. Variegated cultivars are available. Deer resistant.

More/larger photos Taiwan raspberry Rubus pentalobus Forms a highly textured, evergreen ground cover that supresses weeds. Foliage can turn a beautiful scarlet color in fall. Yellow, raspberry-like fruit is edible fresh or in preserves.

More/larger photos giant alumroot or coral bells Heuchera maxima and hybrids This evergreen groundcover has heart-shaped leaves and thin, bell-shaped, pink and white flowers that hang gracefully from thin stalks. Fire resistant.

More/larger photos bergenia or winter saxifrage Bergenia cordifolia An evergreen groundcover, with large, dark green leaves, and clusters of bright, deep pink flowers.

More/larger photos coast purple sage Salvia leucophylla A California native with graceful silvery-green leaves, arching branches, and whorls of purple flowers in the spring and summer.

evergreen current Ribes viburnifolium A low-growing, evergreen shrub with fragrant, dark-green leaves. Can tolderate full sun along the coast but needs partial shade in the hotter inland areas. Once established, evergreen current does not need irrigation and is an excellent choice for growing under native oaks where supplemental watering is discouraged.

More/larger photos California wild lilac Ceanothus spp. Requires well-drained soil. Good for slopes, many low-growing varieties. Purple flowers in spring attract butterflies.

More/larger photos common yarrow Achillea millefolium Native perennial groundcover from one to four feet high. Can be used as a lawn substitute. Produces white flowers. Should be pruned or mowed annually. Blooms can be prolonged by cutting back old flower stalks or mowing.

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