Managing Invasives & Landscape Restoration

Native vegetation at Saguaro National Park.

NPS

You can begin by identifying the habitat around your home. What kind of trees, grasses, and soil are in the area? Is it flat ground or are there washes and hills? These are important to notice especially if you are planning on maintaining a garden or pollinator habitat. Taking note of where water collects/drains, and where there is natural shade will help you build a sustainable landscape.

Invasive plants: Some of the most pervasive and problematic invasive species in Saguaro National Park and the surrounding Tucson community are buffelgrass, fountain grass, and stinknet. Invasive plants such as these pose prominent threats to the ecosystem such as: permanent and irreversible changes to the landscape by choking out native plants, increased fire risk due to highly flammable thick growth that fills in natural gaps in vegetation, and damage to drainage systems.

• Remove invasive plants by hand or use tools such as picks or shovels if that is practical in your space. Make sure to properly dispose of the plants once removed so they do not continue to spread seeds or re-root.

Below are some species to focus on.

 

Buffelgrass

Left image
Hillside covered in Bufflegrass
Credit: NPS

Right image
Buffelgrass close-up
Credit: NPS

• Buffelgrass specifically poses a huge risk as it is drought tolerant and re-sprouts particularly fast after fires. Buffelgrass has altered the natural fire regime of the Sonoran Desert, which would naturally be a more fire-resistant ecosystem. Invasion of this grass has fueled increasingly larger and more devastating fires around Tucson which has caused losses of both native plants and animals.  

• Buffelgrass management in your home is a great way to contribute to the wellbeing of not only your neighborhood, but the park and surrounding areas. Keep an eye out for invasive plants around your yard and along roadsides in town, inform your neighbors/friends/family if you recognize these species in their areas as well.  

 

Stinknet

Top image
Stinknet with ruler
Credit: NPS

Bottom image
Stinknet with pencil for reference
Credit: NPS

• Stinknet, previously known as globe chamomile, is an invasive annual weed that is steadily spreading to Tucson from Maricopa County. This plant grows in a variety of habitats and poses severe threats to native plants and human health. Stinknet, when dry, is an extreme fire hazard in the summer months, and when it burns, it produces a caustic smoke that can cause respiratory reactions. It is also known to cause allergic reactions when touched with bare skin. Not only is it an issue for human health, it also rapidly takes over Sonoran Desert plant habitat, carpeting the desert and choking out our diverse native wildflowers.  

• What to do: Learn to identify the leaves so you can remove it before it flowers.  

• If you do find flowering stinknet in your yard, pull it be hand or use a trowel to dig it out. Take care to bag the entire plant after so the seeds do not spread. A single small plant can contain thousands of seeds each and will spread easily once they begin to dry out.  

• Clean boots and tools if you have been hiking or working in an area where stinknet is present.  

 

Fountaingrass

Left image
Large Fountain grass plant
Credit: S Carnahan

Right image
Close-up on fountain grass
Credit: Liz Makings

• Fountaingrass is a large bunch grass that has been widely used in landscaping as an ornamental plant since 1940. It has escaped people’s yards and is now spread over the Sonoran Desert, including at Saguaro National Park. In riparian areas, fountaingrass poses a large fire risk as it provides a high fuel load and will readily resprout after burning. The grass will form large patches and outcompete native plants for space and water.  

• What to do: The best way to deal with fountaingrass in your yard or neighborhood is to dig the plant out, making sure to include the roots and the seed heads. You may need to revisit the same area for a few years to manage the seedlings that may sprout.  

• Find alternatives for ornamental grasses in landscaping. Use native grasses such as Deergrass or find other attractive plants like succulents or cacti.  

• More info on Fountaingrass can be found here: Fountain Grass - Saguaro National Park (U.S. National Park Service) 

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Info on native plants, invasive management, and gardening:

Fountaingrass-Tech-Bulletin-2012-Arizona-Sonora-Desert-Museum.pdf

Non-Native, Invasive Plants of Arizona

Plant Nurseries & Seed Sources - Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond by Brad Lancaster (harvestingrainwater.com)