Nurseries join effort against invasive plants

An alliance is taking on water hyacinth, Scotch broom and other introduced plants that threaten California’s wildlands, farms and waterways.

The campaign, PlantRight, aims to get gardeners to avoid species that can do damage. It is led by a group called Sustainable Conservation, which is based in San Francisco and has a branch office in Modesto.

Monday, leaders announced that The Home Depot has joined the effort at its stores in Modesto, Ceres, Turlock, Riverbank and many other locations. The chain has agreed to phase out problem plants from its garden centers.

“Garnering the support of The Home Depot California represents a positive breakthrough for the industry in helping to curb the spread of invasive ornamental plants,” said Ashley Boren, executive director of Sustainable Conservation, in a news release.

The alliance involves several other retail nurseries, though none yet in Stanislaus, Merced, San Joaquin or Tuolumne counties. It is educating gardeners about plants that do not cause problems, especially native, drought-tolerant types.

Area residents need only to glance at the lower Tuolumne, Merced and San Joaquin rivers to see what invasive plants can do. Water hyacinth, first brought from South America, grows in dense mats that cut off sunlight and oxygen to salmon and other native life. The Stanislaus River is not nearly as bad off, thanks to higher managed flows during the drought.

Virtually all Central Valley farmland grows crops introduced from elsewhere, and even the foothills to the west and east harbor grasses that came from Europe. But these plants stay put. The battle is against those that get way out of control, such as the giant reed, which has invaded streambeds in the Valley and southwest California. Some broom species produce up to 12,000 seeds per plant.

The invaders can interfere with boating and worsen the risk of flooding and wildfire. More than $82 million is spent in California each year on control measures. This year, that included $4 million in increased spraying of water hyacinth in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and some of its tributaries.

“Partnering with PlantRight in California is the right thing to do for our communities,” said Brian Parker, senior live goods merchant at The Home Depot. “We’re committed to providing the best plant options for California, including drought-tolerant and non-invasive varieties.”

This story was originally published May 4, 2015 at 6:42 PM with the headline "Nurseries join effort against invasive plants."