{"id":3150,"date":"2017-01-09T15:33:31","date_gmt":"2017-01-09T23:33:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=3150"},"modified":"2022-04-29T15:32:56","modified_gmt":"2022-04-29T22:32:56","slug":"erica-lusitanica-spanish-heath","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=3150","title":{"rendered":"Spanish Heath | Erica lusitanica"},"content":{"rendered":"
California Pest Rating for<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Spanish Heath |\u00a0\u00a0Erica lusitanica<\/em><\/strong><\/h5>\n
Family: Ericaceae<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Pest Rating: B<\/strong> \u00a0<\/strong>| \u00a0Proposed Seed Rating:<\/strong> R<\/h5>\n
\n
PEST RATING PROFILE<\/strong><\/h5>\n
Initiating Event<\/strong>:<\/h5>\n

Concern about the invasiveness of Spanish heath from the land mangement along the north coast of California.<\/strong><\/p>\n

History & Status:<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Background<\/u>:<\/strong> Erica lusitanica,<\/em> commonly called Spanish heath is a woody, upright, perennial evergreen shrub growing up to 10 feet tall. It can produce up to 9 million seeds per plant where it is invasive. These seeds are dispersed by wind, water, animal and\u00a0 human transported. It is capable of forming dense stands in forest lands, wild areas, pastureland and on right-of-ways. Leaves are light green, needle like, 3-7 mm long and arranged around the stem in groups (whorls) of three to four. Blooms are a showy mass of small, white to pink, bell (tubular) shaped flowers. Plants begin flowering in December continuing until April. It has shown quick recovery from fire and can be found in disturbed and open sandy areas. It is well adapted to acidic soils and could infest a wide range of shrub and forest habitats1&3<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Spanish heath is native to southwest Europe and has infested large areas in northern California in Humboldt and Del -Norte counties. It is demonstrating a capacity to infest similar habitat in Oregon and Washington. In parts of Australia and New Zealand, Spanish heath is a major environmental weed that out-competes native vegetation. It impacts the parks, wildland and wildlife refuges result from the aggressive growth and competition demonstrated by this plant4<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Official Control: <\/strong>Spanish heath is under official treatment in New Zealand5<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

California Distribution<\/strong>: Spanish Heath is found along waterways scattered throughout much of Coastal northern CA in Humboldt \u00a0and Del Norte counties. It is also reported from Mendocino, Santa Cruz and San Francisco counties along the shoreline2<\/sup>.<\/em><\/p>\n

California Interceptions<\/strong>: Two vouchers have been submitted in the CDFA herbarium.<\/p>\n

United States<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0<\/strong>Spanish heath is known\u00a0 from Oregon, and Washington.<\/p>\n

Worldwide Distribution<\/strong><\/span>:\u00a0<\/strong>Spanish heath s widely naturalized in the south-eastern parts of Australia, especially in Victoria and Tasmania. It is also reported as naturalized and as an environmental weed in UK and\u00a0 New Zealand4<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

This risk Spanish Heath<\/em><\/strong> would pose to California is evaluated below.<\/p>\n

Consequences of Introduction:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n

1) Climate\/Host Interaction:<\/strong> Spanish heath has established in 4 counties in California and presumably can spread to similar habitats elsewhere in the\u00a0State. Therefore, there is a high risk that it can establish in California. It receives a High(3)<\/strong><\/span> in this category.<\/p>\n

Evaluate if the pest would have suitable hosts and climate to establish in California.\u00a0 Score:\u00a03<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Low (1) not likely to establish in California; or likely to establish in very limited areas<\/p>\n

Medium (2) may be able to establish in a larger but limited part of California<\/p>\n

High (3)<\/strong> likely to establish a widespread distribution in California<\/span><\/p>\n

2) Pest Host Range: <\/strong>Spanish heath does not require any one host, but grow wherever ecological conditions are favorable. It receives a High(3)<\/strong><\/span> in this category.<\/p>\n

Evaluate the host range of the pest: Score : 3<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Low (1) has a very limited host range<\/p>\n

Medium (2) has a moderate host range<\/p>\n

High (3)<\/strong> has a wide host range<\/span><\/p>\n

3) Pest Dispersal Potential: <\/strong>Spanish heath has a very high seed production. It can spread by wind, water, animal or human activity. It receives a High(3)<\/strong><\/span> in this category.<\/p>\n

Evaluate the dispersal potential of the pest: Score: 3<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Low (1) does not have high reproductive or dispersal potential<\/p>\n

Medium (2) has either high reproductive or dispersal potential<\/p>\n

High (3)<\/strong> has both high reproduction and dispersal potential<\/span><\/p>\n

4) Economic Impact: <\/em><\/strong>Spanish Heath only occasionally invades agricultural land. It can lower crop yields, crop value, and change cultural practices.<\/em> Pasture productivity would suffer as edible forage becomes out-competed by this less desirable shrub. Right-of-way maintenance costs would increase in infested areas3<\/sup>. It receives a High(3)<\/strong><\/span> in this category.<\/p>\n

Evaluate the economic impact of the pest to California using these criteria:<\/p>\n

Economic Impact: A, B,C D<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A<\/strong>. The pest could lower crop yield<\/span><\/p>\n

B<\/strong>. The pest could lower crop value (includes increasing crop production costs)<\/span><\/p>\n

C<\/strong>. The pest could trigger the loss of markets (includes quarantines by other states or countries)<\/span><\/p>\n

D<\/strong>. The pest could negatively change normal production cultural practices<\/span><\/p>\n

E. The pest can vector, or is vectored, by another pestiferous organism<\/p>\n

F. The organism is injurious or poisonous to agriculturally important animals<\/p>\n

G. The organism can interfere with the delivery or supply of water for agricultural uses.<\/p>\n

Economic Impact<\/strong>\u00a0Score (3)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

-Low (1) causes 0 or 1 of these impacts<\/p>\n

-Medium (2) causes 2 of these impacts<\/p>\n

–High (3)<\/strong> causes 3 or more of these impacts<\/span><\/p>\n

5) Environmental Impact: <\/strong>Spanish heath is well adapted to moist, acidic soils and could infest shrub and forest habitats along the coastal belt in California. It is commonly found growing in close association with Gorse, Scotch, French broom, and Blackberry, especially in riparian and roadside areas3<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Spanish heath can dominate open, disturbed areas, excluding other plants and\u00a0lowering biodiversity and forms dense patches that could interfere with recreation activities along the coast.<\/em> Its dense growth leads to competition with native vegetation and could impact sensitive species such\u00a0as Humboldt milk\u2013vetch (Astragalus agnicidus<\/em>) and\u00a0 Abruptbeak sedge (Carex<\/em>\u00a0abrupta<\/em>). Spanish heath receives a\u00a0High (3)<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0in this category.<\/p>\n

Evaluate the environmental impact of the pest on California using the following criteria:<\/p>\n

Environmental Impact: A,B,C,D,E<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A. <\/span><\/strong>The pest could have a significant environmental impact such as lowering biodiversity, disrupting natural communities, or changing ecosystem processes<\/span><\/p>\n

B. <\/span><\/strong>The pest could directly affect threatened or endangered species<\/span><\/p>\n

C. <\/span><\/strong>The pest could impact threatened or endangered species by disrupting critical habitats<\/span><\/p>\n

D.<\/span><\/strong> The pest could trigger additional official or private treatment programs<\/span><\/p>\n

E. <\/span><\/strong>Significantly impacting cultural practices, home\/urban gardening or ornamental plantings.<\/span><\/p>\n

Environmental Impact:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0 Score\u00a0(3)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

-Low (1) causes none of the above to occur<\/p>\n

-Medium (2) causes one of the above to occur<\/p>\n

–High (3)<\/strong> causes two or more of the above to occur<\/span><\/p>\n

Consequences of Introduction to California for Spanish heath:\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h5>\n

Rating (Score): <\/strong>Add up the total score and include it here<\/p>\n

Low<\/strong> = 5-8 points<\/p>\n

Medium<\/strong> = 9-12 points<\/p>\n

High<\/strong> = 13-15 points<\/span><\/p>\n

Total points based on above criteria, which does not take into account the already wide distribution of this invasive plant in California: High (15)<\/span>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

6) Post Entry Distribution and Survey Information<\/strong>: Spanish heath has been found in California and receives a \u00a0Medium (-2)<\/strong><\/span> in this category.<\/p>\n

Evaluate the known distribution in California. Only official records identified by a taxonomic expert and supported by voucher specimens deposited in natural history collections should be considered. Pest incursions that have been eradicated, are under eradication, or have been delimited with no further detections should not be included.<\/p>\n

–Not established (0)<\/strong> Pest never detected in California, or known only from incursions.<\/p>\n

–Low (-1)<\/strong> Pest has a localized distribution in California, or is established in one suitable climate\/host area (region).<\/p>\n

–Medium (-2)<\/strong> Pest is widespread in California but not fully established in the endangered area, or pest established in two contiguous suitable climate\/host areas.<\/span><\/p>\n

–High (-3)<\/strong> Pest has fully established in the endangered area, or pest is reported in more than two contiguous or non-contiguous suitable climate\/host areas.<\/p>\n

Final Score:<\/h5>\n

The final score is<\/strong> the consequences of introduction score minus the post entry distribution and survey information score: (13)<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Uncertainty:<\/strong><\/h5>\n

As this plant is established as an invasive species in western CA, there is little uncertainty associated with this assessment.<\/p>\n

Conclusion and Rating Justification:<\/strong><\/h5>\n

Conclusions of the harm(s) associated with this pest to California using all of the evidence presented above: Proposed Rating: <\/strong>based on the score listed above the pest is a high risk. This would justify an \u201cA\u201d rating. As the plant is found in five\u00a0counties in California, the pest would be best assigned a \u201cB\u201d rating.<\/strong><\/p>\n

References:<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/h5>\n
    \n
  1. Brusati, E. (2011). Cal-IPC Inventory update adds eight plants. Cal-IPC News. Accessed 11-18-2016.\u00a0http:\/\/www.cal-ipc.org\/ip\/management\/plant_profiles\/Erica_lusitanica.php<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation,\u00a0with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals, including the\u00a0Consortium of California Herbaria.\u00a0Berkeley, California.\u00a0 Accessed\u00a0 11-18-2016.\u00a0http:\/\/www.calflora.org\/cgi-bin\/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=3070<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. Oregon Department of Agriculture ! Noxious Weed Control Program. Accessed\u00a0 11-18-2016.\u00a0https:\/\/www.oregon.gov\/ODA\/shared\/Documents\/Publications\/Weeds\/PlantPestRiskAssessmentSpanishHeath2013.pdf<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. Weed of Australia, Biosecurity Queenland Edition. Accessed 11-18-2016. \u00a0http:\/\/keyserver.lucidcentral.org\/weeds\/data\/media\/Html\/erica_lusitanica.htm<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. USDA-Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System (PCIT) Phytosanitary Export Database ( PExD). Accessed\u00a0 11-18-2016.\u00a0https:\/\/pcit.aphis.usda.gov\/PExD\/faces\/ReportFormat.jsp<\/a>
            \n
            \n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            Responsible party:<\/strong><\/h5>\n

            Javaid Iqbal, \u00a0California Department of Food and Agriculture; 1220 N Street,\u00a0Sacramento, CA 95814; Tel. (916) 403-6695; plant.health[@]cdfa.ca.gov.<\/p>\n

            \n

            Pest\u00a0Rating: B<\/strong> \u00a0<\/strong>| \u00a0Proposed Seed Rating:<\/strong> R<\/h3>\n
            \n

            Posted by ls<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            California Pest Rating for Spanish Heath |\u00a0\u00a0Erica lusitanica Family: Ericaceae Pest Rating: B \u00a0| \u00a0Proposed Seed Rating: R PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: Concern about the invasiveness of Spanish heath from the land mangement along the north coast of California. History & Status: Background: Erica lusitanica, commonly called Spanish heath is a woody, upright, perennial … Continue reading Spanish Heath | Erica lusitanica<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":129,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[7],"tags":[482,483,85],"class_list":["post-3150","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-plants","tag-erica-lusitanica","tag-spanish-heath","tag-weeds"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5l8vQ-OO","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1958,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=1958","url_meta":{"origin":3150,"position":0},"title":"Weeds","author":"Admin","date":"May 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0 Weeds are simply an unwanted plant in the wrong place, at the right time.\u00a0 The weeds can directly and indirectly impact agricultural crops and are just as costly to the environment as any other unwanted species. Weeds are simply an unwanted plant in the wrong place, at the right\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ratings"","block_context":{"text":"Ratings","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=333"},"img":{"alt_text":"Weeds montage","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/weeds-featured-image1.jpg?fit=1038%2C588&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/weeds-featured-image1.jpg?fit=1038%2C588&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/weeds-featured-image1.jpg?fit=1038%2C588&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/weeds-featured-image1.jpg?fit=1038%2C588&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1379,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=1379","url_meta":{"origin":3150,"position":1},"title":"Spanish Mercury | Mercurialis ambigua","author":"Dean Kelch","date":"December 21, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating for Spanish Mercury\u00a0 |\u00a0 Mercurialis ambigua Pest Rating: B \u00a0| \u00a0Proposed\u00a0Seed Rating: R PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: This plant has been rated as \u201cB\u201d on the CDFA Plant Pest Rating list for 3 years History & Status: Spanish mercury is a modest annual herb with alternate,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Weeds"","block_context":{"text":"Weeds","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10831,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=10831","url_meta":{"origin":3150,"position":2},"title":"Scolymus hispanicus L., Golden thistle, Spanish salsify","author":"Admin","date":"July 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating Profile for Scolymus hispanicus L., Golden thistle, Spanish salsifyPest Rating: A download pest rating profile *NOTE You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you have registered and have not received the registration confirmation, please contact us at permits[@]cdfa.ca.gov. Posted by ta","rel":"","context":"In "A-Rated"","block_context":{"text":"A-Rated","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=669"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2542,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=2542","url_meta":{"origin":3150,"position":3},"title":"Spanish Moss Orthezia | Graminorthezia tillandsiae (Morrison)","author":"Jason Leathers","date":"September 21, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating for Graminorthezia tillandsiae (Morrison): Spanish Moss Orthezia Hemiptera: Ortheziidae Pest Rating: C PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: On August 1, 2016 Dr. Natalia von Ellenrieder identified a sample submitted by a resident of Santa Ana (Orange County) as Graminorthezia tillandsiae, Spanish moss orthezia.\u00a0 A pest rating proposal\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hemiptera"","block_context":{"text":"Hemiptera","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=18"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spanish Moss","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/5368002-SpanishMoss-byCareyMinteer-Bugwood-1024x683.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3470,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=3470","url_meta":{"origin":3150,"position":4},"title":"Shining Cranesbill | Geranium lucidum L.","author":"Raj Randhawa","date":"March 10, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating for Geranium lucidum L.: Shining cranesbill Geraniales: Geraniaceae Pest Rating: A \u00a0| \u00a0Proposed\u00a0Seed Rating: R PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: Geranium lucidum was first observed in 1998 in wildland behind University of California, Berkeley campus in Alameda County. It has been reported in Humboldt and Alameda counties\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Weeds"","block_context":{"text":"Weeds","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3853,"url":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?p=3853","url_meta":{"origin":3150,"position":5},"title":"Branched Broomrape | Orobanche ramosa","author":"Dean Kelch","date":"July 18, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"California Pest Rating Orobanche ramosa L., branched broomrape Lamiales; Orobanchaceae Pest Rating: A |\u00a0\u00a0Seed Rating: P\u00a0 PEST RATING PROFILE Initiating Event: This plant has been rated as \u201cA\u201d on the CDFA Plant Pest Rating list for some years. History & Status: Branched broomrapes are annual plants that grow from seed\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Weeds"","block_context":{"text":"Weeds","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"Branched broomrape | Orobanche ramosa (Photo by CDFA)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/Brbroomrape70flowerA-CDFA-photo.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3150","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/129"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3150"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3150\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10179,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3150\/revisions\/10179"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3150"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3150"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.cdfa.ca.gov\/Section3162\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3150"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}