- Author: Mackenzie Patton
The Invasive Pest Spotlight focuses on relevant or emerging invasive species in California. In this issue we are covering brooms, a group of invasive shrubs.
Invasive Broom facts
Brooms are upright shrubs in the legume family that typically produce small, yellow, pea-shaped flowers. Shrubs range from 3 to 10 feet tall. They produce flowers from mid spring to summer and produce seed pods in late summer. All brooms are prolific seed producers, with a single shrub producing as many as 2,000 to 3,500 pods containing up to 20,000 seeds.
While brooms are attractive plants, they grow in dense stands that outcompete many native plants. These dense stands are highly...
[Originally featured in the Winter 2022 Issue of UC IPM's Green Bulletin Newsletter]
Weeds can be a problem in any landscaped areas including around trees, shrubs, flower beds, or lawns and turf. As we move from cool weather to warmer temperatures, you will see winter weeds grow and become a problem in established landscape plantings. Effective control of weeds include hand-weeding, hoeing, mulching, and herbicide applications. Good management depends on early attention to where weeds are establishing and adjusting the conditions that allow them to thrive.
Managing weeds in landscape...
- Posted by: Lauren Fordyce
![Mature dallisgrass plant, Paspalum dilatatum. [Credit: K Windbiel-Rojas]](https://ucanr.edu/blogs/UCIPMurbanpests/blogfiles/95301small.jpg)
Knowing what weedy grass you have in your lawn or landscape is very important in being able to properly control it. Dallisgrass is a common perennial weed that is easily identified and grows in uneven clumps in lawns and turf. This growth pattern creates a tripping hazard as well as a poor playing surface for parks, front lawns, and athletic fields. Clumps must be dug out to prevent its growth. Solarization with clear plastic can help control dallisgrass.
For more details about the biology of dallisgrass, management methods, and extensive information about herbicides, see the newly updated Pest Notes: Dallisgrass, authored by UC Cooperative Extension...
- Author: Karey Windbiel-Rojas
Looking for ways to manage weeds in your lawn or landscape? Join us on July 21, 2022 at noon for UC IPM's free monthly webinar to learn about how to control weeds using mostly nonchemical methods. We will discuss why weed identification is important, ways to prevent weed growth, and combining various methods for managing weed problems.
The webinar will be presented by Karey Windbiel-Rojas, Area Urban IPM Advisor and Associate Director for Urban & Community IPM with the UC Statewide IPM Program. Register today to serve your spot!
As always, the webinar will be recorded and...
- Author: Belinda J. Messenger-Sikes
(Credit: J DiTomaso)
The best way to avoid exposure to poison oak is knowing how to identify it. While the classic adage “leaves of three, let them be” can help differentiate poison oak from true oaks, it's not always correct. Poison oak is also deciduous so detecting it in the winter or spring when there are no leaves can be tricky.
More information on about this plant can be found in the recently updated
