Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Friday - January 23, 2009
From: Penngrove, CA
Region: California
Topic: Invasive Plants
Title: The invasiveness of Lupinus arboreus
Answered by: Nan Hampton and Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
Hi, Researching Lupinus arboreus, I found that it is considered a serious invasive in Northern California coastal areas, especially Humbolt Bay. Scotch broom, of course, is an awful pest on the coast as well as inland in California, but I would hope no one would replace it with Yellow beach lupine, which besides spreading rapidly, changes soil composition which encourages other weeds, and interbreeds with other lupines, threatening the species' purity. So I hope you will explain this on your site. Thanks. M.L. Carle Invasives chair, Sonoma County chapter of California Native Plant SocietyANSWER:
You are right. Lupinus arboreus (yellow bush lupine) is an interesting example of a plant being both native to and invasive in a single state - in this case, California. We have noted the species' special, troublesome characteristics in our NPIN Plants Database record for that species.
More Invasive Plants Questions
Use of kudzu in landscaping
April 11, 2008 - HELLO MR.SMARTY PlANTS,my question is , I need a # of kudzu plants to grow quickly for a huge bare back wall since we are selling our house & have zero anything back there.we are getting comments that...
view the full question and answer
Japanese honeysuckle invading a backyard habitat in Austin
April 29, 2010 - It has been a few weeks since we have been to our backyard (it is a place in need of desperate attention, but we have been re-landscaping the front yard first). When we went out today to start plannin...
view the full question and answer
Runaway Agave Americana from Pacific Palisades CA
April 29, 2013 - We live near open space on Santa Monica Mountain State Park. Our Association planted non-native, invasive Agave Americanas all over the adjacent slopes, and we are trying to get the exploding pups and...
view the full question and answer
Controlling Thermopsis rhombifolia (buffalo bean) in Mozambique
May 19, 2009 - Dear Mr. Smarty, Please,can you assist. We have
a plot on a dam in Mozambique. It has been invaded with Thermopsis
rhombifolia (we call it buffalo bean), it is very hardy and if you fall
in it or j...
view the full question and answer
Removing invasives plants in Adairsville GA
September 29, 2009 - We just moved into a new house and kudzu, greenbriar and poison ivy are trying to take over. I pulled what I could out of the trees, cut everything off at the base of the vine. I even tried digging ...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
