California Invasive Plant Council

Limonium duriusculum

Synonyms: Statice companyonis; Limonium thiniense; Limonium duriusculum subsp. companyonis; Limonium duriusculum subsp. thiniense

Common names: European sea lavender

Limonium duriusculum (European sea lavender) is a perennial herb (family Plumbaginaceae) with tiny purple flowers and oval-shaped leaves found primarily in the San Francisco Bay area and central and south coast of California. Populations extend into the coast ranges. Limonium duriusculum is similar to another co-occurring, non-native sea lavender (L. ramosissimum) but can be differentiated by its obovate, blunt-tipped leaves and less compactly-arranged flowers. Intermediate forms have been found in the SF Bay area. It is native to the Mediterranean and favors marshes, scrub and chaparral, and riparian and bottomland habitat. It spreads via seed. Human activities and water help disperse the seeds.

Cal-IPC Rating: Moderate?

Explanation of Cal-IPC ratings

• High – These species have severe ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal and establishment. Most are widely distributed ecologically.
• Moderate – These species have substantial and apparent-but generally not severe-ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal, though establishment is generally dependent upon ecological disturbance. Ecological amplitude and distribution may range from limited to widespread.
• Limited – These species are invasive but their ecological impacts are minor on a statewide level or there was not enough information to justify a higher score. Their reproductive biology and other attributes result in low to moderate rates of invasiveness. Ecological amplitude and distribution are generally limited, but these species may be locally persistent and problematic.
• Alert – An Alert is listed on species with High or Moderate impacts that have limited distribution in California, but may have the potential to spread much further.
• Watch – These species have been assessed as posing a high risk of becoming invasive in the future in California.

CDFA Rating: B?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Limonium duriusculum Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Weed Management Notes

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

• San Francisco Bay Limonium work. Kerr, Drew. Vol 32, Issue 3
• Persistence: Marin Audubon's work to keep invasive sea lavender from invading Marin County tidal wetlands. Stalker, Jude. Vol 30, Issue 3
• Controlling invasive sea lavender in Carpenteria Salt Marsh. Johnson, Doug. Vol 26, Issue 1
• Wildland Weed News. Cal-IPC. Vol 25, Issue 2
• Wildland Weed News. Cal-IPC. Vol 25, Issue 1
• Wildland Weed News. Cal-IPC. Vol 24, Issue 3
• Protecting San Francisco Bay salt marshes from invasive sea lavender. Whitcomb, Amy. Vol 24, Issue 3
• Protecting San Diego wetlands. Cal-IPC. Vol 24, Issue 1

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

• Big Canyon Habitat Restoration and Resiliency Project Phase 3: CEQA exempt through CDFW’s SERP process. Arenas, Alys (2023)
• California Update. Johnson, Doug (2020)
• European sea lavender (Limonium duriusculum) impact on salt marsh bird’s beak (Chloropyron maritimum subsp. maritimum) floral visitors. Calloway, Stephanie; Knapp, Denise (2019)
• Striking a balance: Selecting strategy levels for a startup invasive Limonium project based on eradication stage and budget. Kerr, Drew (2019)
• Managing invasive sea lavender at Bothin Marsh. Manzanillo, Tatiana (2018)
• New and expanding weeds in California. Kelch, Dean (2012)

Other Limonium duriusculum Information

• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• CalWeedMapper - Distribution map of this species in California with ability to determine regional priorities.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.

Additional photos