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Washington state are not supposed to be
there! Native Pacific beach grasses like
Leymus mollis grow in clumps with plenty
of room for other native plants to grow and
animals to nest. Widespread removal of
non-native species usually involves using
bulldozers, but small patches of beach grass
can be removed by frequent mowing, cov-
ering with tarps or cardboard or digging up
individual plants.
English ivy (Hedera helix)
A popular ground cover plant with its
dark green heart shaped leaves, ivy easily
escapes garden confines and can smother
wildflowers, shrubs and even entire trees.
On the bright side, large areas of ivy can
be removed by rolling like a piece of car-
pet! Just make sure to pull up any roots left
behind, as the plant can easily regrow from
root fragments.
English holly (Ilex aquifolium)
Planting holly was once encouraged by
the Washington State Conservation Soci-
ety to try to make Washington “the Christ-
mas state.” Nearly a century later, resi-
dents continue to cut down these aggressive
trees that shade out native competitors.
Some birds also eat the holly’s red berries
and spread its seeds, making resident con-
trol even more difficult. Young seedlings
can be pulled up with gloves (the leaves
are sharp!), and older trees should be cut as
close to the ground as possible. Monitor for
regrowth and remove stumps entirely when-
ever possible.
Himalayan and cut leaf blackberry
(Rubus armeniacus and laciniatus)
While native trailing blackberry (Rubus
ursinus) grows on slender brambles that
trail along ground cover and over logs,
these invasive species of blackberries pro-
duce thick, gnarly canes covered in sharp
thorns, and spread into massive thickets that
choke out all other plant life, sometimes for
acres.
Aggressive mowing and digging can
be used to control them, as can controlled
burns with permits. Both goats and sheep
are also happy to chow down on its leaves
and young stems. On the bright side, these
berries are ripe for picking in late summer
and are delicious!
Tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)
In addition to competing for space and
other resources, tansy ragwort is also toxic
to livestock. The plant’s yellow, daisy-like
flowers have a very high concentration of
poisonous alkaloids. Many people are aller-
gic to its pollen. Tansy ragwort grows on
straight stems that can grow to be more than
Photos by Rebecca Lexa
LEFT: In addition to competing with native species for space and other resources, tansy ragwort
is also toxic to livestock. MIDDLE: Planting holly was once encouraged by the Washington
State Conservation Society. Now, it is widely considered invasive. RIGHT: Invasive blackberries
produce thick, gnarly canes covered in sharp thorns, and spread into massive thickets that
choke out all other plant life, sometimes for acres.
6 feet tall. It’s a good idea to remove these
plants whenever possible.
Bull and Canada thistle (Cirsium
vulgare and arvense)
Typical thistles with a rosette of spiky
leaves at ground level and stems with tufted
purple flowers, these are best replaced in
your garden with native thistles like Cir-
sium occidentale. Thistles can be dug up
with a shovel.
Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)
Although this plant is popular as a deco-
rative grass, it easily escapes and competes
with native grasses and other plants. The
leaf edges of this grass are sharp so be sure
to use protective gear while cutting down
foliage and digging up roots.
Rebecca Lexa is an Oregon Master Nat-
uralist, nature educator, tour guide, and
writer living on the Long Beach Penin-
sula. More about her work may be found at
RebeccaLexa.com.
THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 2022 // 7