Blog
Responsible Water Gardening
July 21, 2017Water gardening is popular because ponds and fountains can bring beauty, relaxation and wildlife to your backyard. But the more we bring in water plants for these features, the more risk we run of introducing invasive aquatic plants into local creeks and streams. Some of the aquatic plants commonly available online and through local nurseries … Read more
Introducing Our 6 Newest Retail Nursery Partners
December 21, 2016Buy Right, just one of the ways you can Plant Right: Here are some of our newest retail nursery partners — in order from the date they became an official partner. Check out PlantRight’s Nursery Partner Directory for other Retail Nursery Partners near you. 1. High Country Nursery Anza, CA High County Nursery has been around since 1971, … Read more
Where invasive plants are sold in California — and how we know
October 7, 2016This past spring, they were all over California. With clipboards, cameras, and data sheets in hand, they were searching at a nursery or garden center near you — for invasive plants. The nursery survey is how we measure what is happening in California’s retail nursery industry, and none of it would happen without our survey volunteers. This … Read more
The Fellowship of the Plants
August 12, 2016On a chilly, foggy morning, typical for summer in the Bay Area, we prepared for our annual Steering Committee meeting in cozy Julia Morgan Hall at the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, surrounded by trees and plants from all over the world. As the meeting’s start time approached, members of a group almost as diverse as … Read more
Little Less Conversation, Little More Action
February 21, 2016By Jan Merryweather I saw Elvis today. Really! He’s quite the regular at Sustainable Conservation’s San Francisco headquarters these days. More than a titan among musical icons “The King” has become a muse to the PlantRight team, especially this National Invasive Species Awareness Week. We love Elvis’ A Little Less Conversation because it might as … Read more
Plant experts hope for a drought of invasives in ‘water-wise’ yards
July 3, 2015Many Californians appear to be taking up Gov. Jerry Brown’s call for the removal of 50 million square feet of lawn energetically and enthusiastically. But all that energy may be misplaced: As homeowners and businesses seek out drought-tolerant, low-water plants at local nurseries and big-box garden departments, they may unwittingly be picking up invasive plants … Read more
Seeds: PlantRight tries to stop escaped thugs
June 26, 2015They’re usually gorgeous; that’s the start of the problem. They grow easily and often freely, propagating offspring effortlessly. With a little water and time, they really do take over. And that’s when a beautiful ornamental plant becomes an invasive thug… Read the full article by Debbie Arrington in The Sacramento Bee Home & Garden section … Read more
PlantRight, Home Depot Team Up to Stem Sale of Invasive Plants
May 4, 2015We’re excited to announce that PlantRight has secured key corporate commitments in promoting safe, non-invasive plants to benefit the state’s environment and people. Topping the list of industry partners are more than 200 The Home Depot stores in California. Using PlantRight’s invasive-plant list as a guide, The Home Depot will begin the process of phasing … Read more
Don’t Be Fooled by Unwise Water-Wise Plant Choices
April 21, 2015California’s drought crisis is driving low-water landscaping: lawns are coming out, xeriscaping is going in. Fortunately, water agencies, nurseries, garden media and our friends at Save Our Water are all promoting drought-tolerant plant lists to guide purchasing decisions and reduce water usage. Unfortunately, in this rush for water conservation, invasive plants are creeping onto some … Read more
Don’t Grow Crazy — An Update on California’s PlantRight Program
April 1, 2015Choosing the right plant for the right place is a key element in protecting California’s rich natural ecosystems. When used appropriately, plants offer us nourishment, beauty, sanctuary, and habitat; but some plants may have adverse environmental consequences. Read the full article in the latest University of California Integrated Pest Management (UC IPM) Retail Nursery & … Read more
The Development of a Plant Risk Evaluation (PRE) Tool for Assessing the Invasive Potential of Ornamental Plants
March 24, 2015Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) methods for evaluating invasiveness in plants have evolved rapidly in the last two decades. Many WRA tools exist, but none were specifically designed to screen ornamental plants prior to being released into the environment. To be accepted as a tool to evaluate ornamental plants for the nursery industry, it is critical … Read more
PlantRight releases 2015 Plant List
January 10, 2015For the second year in a row, PlantRight has updated its list of suggested alternatives to horticultural invasive plants. This year-long process helps PlantRight focus its efforts on the highest priority invasives still for sale in the nursery trade. PlantRight wants to thank the many individuals who participated in the updating of this list by … Read more