Ligustrum lucidum (glossy privet) is a shrub/tree (family Oleaceae) with white flowers and shiny oval-shaped leaves found in the San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento Valley, coastal ranges and southwestern ranges of California. It is native to China, Japan and Korea. It favors grasslands, woodlands and riparian and bottomland habitat. It spreads via seeds and root […]

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 […]

Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum (slenderleaf iceplant) is a herb/ (family Aizoaceae) with white to yellow flowers and narrow succulent-like leaves found in the San Francisco Bay area, Channel Islands, central valley, desert ranges and south coast ranges of California. It is native to southern Africa. It favors wetlands and dunes. It propagates by seed which is dispersed […]

Tribulus terrestris (puncture vine) is an annual herb (family Zygophyllaceae) with yellow-white flowers and narrow hairy leaves found all over California. It is native to the Mediterranean. It favors grasslands and dunes. It propagates by seed. Seeds are dispersed via water, wool, vehicles and agricultural activities.

Volutaria tubuliflora (desert knapweed) is an annual herb (family Asteraceae) with pink-purple flowers and lobed hairy leaves found in the desert ranges and south coast ranges of California. It is native to northern Africa and the Mediterranean Basin. It favors grasslands, dunes, scrub and chaparral habitat. It propagates via multitudes of seeds. Seeds are dispersed […]

Acacia baileyana (cootamunda wattle) is a shrub (family Fabaceae) with yellow flowers and finely dissected leaves found in the coastal ranges, San Francisco Bay area and transverse ranges of California. It is native to Southeastern Australia. It favors scrub and chaparral habitat. It has long-lived seeds that accumulate in the soil and germinate after fires, […]

Festuca myuros (rat-tail fescue) is an annual grass (family Poaceae) widely distributed in California. This species is one of many introduced annual grasses that reduces habitat for native perennial grasses.

Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) is an annual algae (family Alariaceae) first recorded in several estuaries in California in 2000. Wakame is native to Japan, where it is consumed for its food value and as a nutritional supplement. In California, wakame usually cannot compete with native perennial brown algae, but it may colonize estuaries rapidly if native […]

Washingtonia robusta (Mexican fan palm) is a single-trunked palm tree (family Arecaceae) found in the San Francisco Bay area, southern Sacramento Valley and on California’s south coast. It is native to semi-arid landscapes of northwestern Mexico, including Baja California. Mexican fan palm is a common landscape ornamental that has become invasive in riparian areas, orchards […]

Vinca major (periwinkle) is a spreading perennial vine or ground cover (family Apocynaceae) with dark green stems that contain milky latex. In California it is rapidly spreading in most coastal counties, foothill woodlands, the Central Valley, and even desert areas. Periwinkle has escaped from garden plantings, and lowers species diversity and disrupts native plant communities. […]