Identify
PlantRight has worked with researchers at University of Washington and University of California, Davis to develop the PlantRight Plant Risk Evaluator (PRE), a method for determining a plant’s potential for becoming invasive in any specific region. We use this tool to determine which plants have a high risk of becoming invasive, which plants require more research, and which plants have a low risk of becoming invasive in a particular area. Plants on our priority invasive plant list were found to be high risk using PRE or are on the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) Invasive Plant Inventory. Learn more about how we update the plant list.
Locate
Every spring, PlantRight volunteers conduct a survey of plant retailers across California to gather information about the retail market for invasive plants. This Spring Nursery Survey tells us which invasive plants can be found for sale in retail markets, where they are being sold, and helps us measure what effect our retail partnerships are having.
Educate
Once we know which plants are invasive, and where invasive plants are being sold, we can tailor our outreach to homeowners, landscape professionals, and plant retailers in California. Our goal is to spread the word to anyone who may purchase or plant ornamental plants in California. For nursery and landscape professionals, we have a Continuing Education Program, and for anyone who wants to learn more about invasive ornamental plants, we have a variety of resources and educational materials for you to learn from and share.
To join the Continuing Education program, create an account and complete the PlantRight Continuing Education training (approximately 1 hour in total). Benefits of completing the training include: expanding your knowledge of California’s invasive garden plants and gaining “Continuing Education Credit” from participating groups. CCN Pros earn 1 CEU. Contact us if you want your organization to participate. Learn more on our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Collaborate
Fundamental to our approach is collaboration with leaders in horticulture, plant science, and landscape design. Since 2013 we have been partnering with retail garden centers to promote exclusively non-invasive plants. Phasing out invasive plants in the marketplace is more cost-effective than controlling invasive plants after the point of sale.
California nurseries have been very responsive to the need to eliminate invasive plants. Nearly 500 individual storefronts are PlantRight retail partner nurseries.
We ask Retail Partners not to sell any invasive plant on the PlantRight list and require plant buyers to complete PlantRight’s basic training — video, study guide, and quiz on horticultural invasive plants. Learn more on our Frequently Asked Questions page.
We provide Retail Partners practical, science-based educational content on ornamental invasive plant issues, expert recommendations for non-invasive alternative plants, recognition in our online retail directory, social media, and in-store signage. And its one more way to show customers that you care!
Become a Nursery Partner