RAINYRAMBLES
Common invasive plants in the Columbia-Pacifi c
BY REBECCA LEXA
Recently, just before National Inva-
sive Species Awareness W eek, I high-
lighted how invasive species negatively
aff ect local ecosystems and why they
should be removed whenever possible.
The following is a list of some com-
mon and perniciously invasive plant
species in the Columbia-Pacifi c region,
along with some ideas for keeping
them under control.
Scotch b room (Cytisus
scoparius)
In the s pring, these tall, spindly
shrubs begin to produce bright yellow
fl owers, some with small red splotches
on the petals. Scotch b room can grow
to more than 10 feet tall, and large
thickets often crowd out other native
plant species. Surrounding plants
should be removed as this invasive
shrub can regenerate from stumps. A
lever tool makes extraction easier. Very
large plants with stems 2 inches or
more in diameter may be cut as low to
the ground as possible .
are also highly fl ammable, so it poses
signifi cant wildfi re risk . When handling
g orse, always wear thick gloves, long
sleeves and eye protection.
Gorse (Ulex europeaus)
European and Atlantic beach
grasses (Ammophila arenaria
and Ammophila brevigulata)
Be careful when dealing with this
prickly green plant. Gorse is covered in
sharp green thorns. Like Scotch b room,
it grows in massive thickets that crowd
out other plants, producing large clus-
ters of yellow fl owers. Its oily tissues
Those wide swaths of grass dec-
orating the dunes of Oregon and
See Page 7
Many of the patches of grass seen on
Oregon beaches are non-native.
Rebecca Lexa
6 // COASTWEEKEND.COM