Responsible How You Can Help: Floating or rooted emergent Submerged This brochure presents attractive alternatives to Don’t ornamental pond plants that cause problems in Water Gardening California waterways. While the suggested plants may Do Not Plant Do Not Plant not be exact substitutes for the invasive species, we have tried to list plants that will fulfill water gardeners’ Brazilian waterweed, California is home to many beautiful bodies of water, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta) Eurasian watermilfoil needs. Consult your local aquatic gardening specialist to from Lake Tahoe to the Owens River, from Humboldt (Myriophyllum spicatum) anacharis (Egeria densa) plant a determine which plants are best for your setting. Reputed to be the Illegal to sell in the Jack Kelly Clark The most widespread submerged Bay to the Tijuana Estuary. These water bodies support fastest-growing U.S. Floating mats Infests 7000 acres in the Sacramento- It is also vital to follow safe gardening practices: invasive aquatic plant in California and native plants, fish, and other wildlife. They also irrigate plant in the world! up to 3 feet thick San Joaquin Delta. Aggressively invades Joseph M. DiTomaso a serious problem in Lake Tahoe. Stems agricultural crops, provide drinking water for cities, • Build your water garden away from natural Can double in size reduce light and natural waterways, forming dense mats break easily, starting new infestations and offer recreational swimming, fishing, and boating waterways. in a week during David Chang dissolved oxygen in that impede water flow. pest! when spread by boats or birds. opportunities. hot weather. Forms the water so that • Plant non-invasive alternatives. Water gardening is popular in California, and many dense mats that few living things can Barry Rice/ Californians enjoy growing aquatic plants in backyard • Place plants in containers to reduce the likelihood impede water flow. survive. Common Tne Nature Conservnancy Give them an inch and Jack Kelly Clark ponds or home aquaria. Unfortunately, a few that they will spread. This also simplifies pond Seeds can live up to salvinia (Salvinia hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata) they’ll take an acre... horticultural plant species have escaped into natural maintenance. 20 years. The State minima) may be Illegal to sell or possess in California. waterways and become a significant problem. This • Dispose of unwanted pond plants by composting or of California has sold, but species are Has arrived in California mixed with happens when people dump unwanted plants in local placing in plastic bags in a trash container. spent $45 million difficult to tell apart. shipments of water lilies and as a storm drains, streams, or ponds, or when floods or over the last 15 years to control water hyacinth in the mislabeled aquarium plant. Fragments wildlife transport them. Once released, invasive aquatic • Become familiar with California’s laws regarding Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. quickly start new colonies. plants cause serious ecological and economic problems invasive aquatic plants so you do not purchase for California’s water bodies. They can: something that is restricted. This is especially important when shopping on the internet. (See the Try These Instead Try These Instead • Form dense stands along the shore or thick mats in websites on the back panel of this brochure.) open water. Sometimes so much of the water surface coontail or hornwort is covered that migrating water birds cannot land. Cape pondweed yellow pondlily (Nuphar polysepalum) (Ceratophyllum demersum) • Crowd out native plants while providing little benefit Symbols Used: (Aponogeton distachyon) Notes: to wildlife. Crisp white flowers with a A native plant with a dramatic Full sun vanilla scent are held on the yellow flower and round leaves Rootless, There are few safe alternatives to • Reduce light and oxygen levels underwater, harming Part sun water surface. Prefers cool Vince Scheidt up to a foot in diameter. Foliage deciduous submerged plants. These plants spread fish and other aquatic life. perennial with Full shade water. May overwhelm a is submerged freely, especially those that are not rooted. • Clog intake valves of irrigation systems and power in winter and slender stems California native small pond. plants. emerges in and forked While the alternatives recommended in spring. May Joseph M. DiTomaso leaves. Tolerates • Block access for recreational and commercial boats. A Note for Aquarium Owners: take more shade and hard this brochure are not known to be invasive Because so many waterways are interconnected, one Some of the invasive plants listed here are also sold for use water. Good in California waterways, gardeners should Pacific fairy fern effort to find plant dumped in a local storm drain can travel for in aquaria. They can cause environmental problems when for sale. oxygenator. take care to prevent all plants from aquarium water is not disposed of properly. For instance, Jack Kelly Clark miles. Federal, state, and local agencies spend millions (Azolla filiculoides) Joseph M. DiTomaso of dollars each year to remove invasive aquatic plants. the popular aquarium plant Caulerpa taxifolia has caused spreading out of aquatic gardens and into Tiny, free-floating, perennial Suggested alternatives for invasive Preventing their spread costs much less than removing extensive damage in the Mediterranean Sea and was recently found and eradicated from Southern California harbors. While fern. Turns reddish-purple streams, ponds, or storm drains. the plants once they have escaped! the alternatives we list are designed for freshwater aquatic in the fall. To ½ inch high, Aquatic Plants gardens, similar suggestions for aquarium enthusiasts can be with a spreading habit. Could Also try: Cover photo: Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in Sevenmile Slough, found at habitattitude.net. water clover (Marsilea spp.) in California Sacramento County. Bob Case. overwhelm a small pond. Pond margin or bog Pond margin or bog Pond margin or bog Do Not Plant Do Not Plant Do Not Plant giant reed purple loosestrife Uruguayan water-primrose or creeping water-primrose parrotfeather yellowflag iris (Arundo donax) (Lythrum salicaria) (Ludwigia hexapetala, L. uruguayensis, L. peploides) (Myriophyllum aquaticum) (Iris pseudacorus) Crowds out native plants and reduces A serious problem in MandyTu/The Nature Conservancy Invades streambanks Forms dense mats that Forms colonies along coastal streams. Dense water quality. Dense mats slow water California Invasive Plant Council and wetlands impede water flow. stream and pond 1442-A Walnut St. #462, Berkeley, CA 94709 growth damages habitat Joseph M. DiTomaso throughout the U.S. movement and may create habitat for margins. Listed as a Jack Kelly Clark Bob Case Stems are brittle and (510) 843-3902 www.cal-ipc.org while creating a fire and mosquito larvae, which can carry West One plant can produce break easily. Spread by noxious weed in Nevada, flood hazard. Variegated Nile virus. Although there are native 2.7 million seeds. Has boats or migrating water expanding in Pacific The California Invasive Plant Council is a nonprofit varieties may also be Ludwigia species, do not collect them organization working to protect California’s wildlands from the potential to infest birds. Uncommon in Northwest. Increasingly problematic and are not from the wild. invasive plants through research, restoration, and education. rice fields. California but has the common in California, recommended. potential to spread. a serious problem in For more information: Julian Meisler, Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation. Flower: Bob Case regions with similar • CA Dept. of Boating & Waterways: www.dbw.ca.gov/BoaterInfo/ climates. • Habitattitude.net for aquarium hobbyists, backyard pond owners & water gardeners Try These Instead Try These Instead • The Nature Conservancy’s publications on invasives are now Try These Instead hosted at BugwoodWiki: wiki.bugwood.org/Invasipedia • UC DANR, Aquatic Gardens, Not Aquatic Pests: redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea), clumping bamboos lobelias arrowheads western blueflag iris anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/pdf/8369.pdf common yellow monkey flower yellowtwig dogwood (C. s. ‘Flaviramea’) (Bambusa multiplex ‘Alphonso-Karr’, (Lobelia cardinalis, L. fulgens, L. siphilica) (Sagittaria latifolia, S. monteviden- (Iris missouriensis, Funding for this brochure provided by: (Mimulus guttatus) ‘Golden Goddess’) Striking arrow-shaped leaves and white I. longipetala) A spectacular blooming bog plant. Annual or perennial. Fills California Dept. of Food & Agriculture, Service Forest US Stritch, Larry flowers. Grows in moist soil or water out a 4 feet x 4 feet space Integrated Pest Control Branch Brilliant red or yellow foliage and colorful winter twigs. Useful as a hedge or screen. Tubular flowers resemble honeysuckle A native iris with flowers Bob Case 6 inches or more deep.S. latifolia or salvia and attract hummingbirds. in spring and summer. ranging from white to blue to Provide good screens where water is present. To 8 feet Rhizomes of clumping species stay Joseph M. DiTomaso grows 12 to 20 May die back then return California Dept. of Boating and Waterways, tall and 10 feet wide. Cut roots to control spread. close to the plant and will not invade L. cardinalis and L. fulgens to 6 feet lavender. Leaves to 2 feet tall. inches; Aquatic Weed Control Program surrounding soil. Height varies by the next year. Yellow Likes open, sunny, moist areas. © Monrovia © with red