About Invasive Plant Species

Invasive plants are plant species introduced to our area from other parts of the world, that out-compete native vegetation and dominate plant communities. Invasive plants, such as black mustard, rip-gut brome, fennel, Russian thistle, Arundo, cape-ivy, and tamarisk are some of the most destructive invasive plants in our region (the California Invasive Plant Council keeps an near-full list of California's invasive plants).

Examples Of Invasive (Non-Native) Plant Species In Santa Barbara and Ventura County

We’ve listed some of the more common invasive plants on the mainland and the Channel Islands.
Click on each image to learn more about these plants and discover their unique characteristics.

Examples Of Invasive (Non-Native) Plant Species On The Channel Islands

What are some invasive plant species and non-native weeds found on Channel Islands?
The Channel Islands hosts a variety of native plants but it also has a number of non-native or invasive plant species that can cause environmental issues, including severely impacting island ecology, damaging sensitive animal habitat, and disruption of the food web. If not controlled properly, invasive plants have a potential for even greater impact. As weed warriors, we’ve highlighted some of the invasive plant species you should look out for and that our organization works to eliminate.