Perennial Pepperweed Control Project

Welcome to the Perennial Pepperweed Control Project website. You will find here the results of a CALFED ERP funded research project to study the spread and control of perennial pepperweed, a North American noxious weed.

1.0 Executive Summary

Background Information
Perennial pepperweed, Lepidium latifolium, is a highly invasive perennial herb that can thrive in a wide range of habitats including riparian areas, wetlands, marshes, and floodplains (Bossard et at. 2000; Young et al. 1995). Once established this plant creates large monospecific stands that displace native plants and animals and can alter soil composition by concentrating salts at the surface (Young, Turner et al. 1995; Renz and DiTomaso 1998).

Due to its highly invasive nature it is on the A-list of the California Invasive Plant Council’s (CALIPC) list of Exotic Pest Plants of Greatest Ecological Concern in California, and on the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s B list of noxious weeds. This plant is a priority for control efforts not only because of its highly invasive nature and the threat it poses to native habitats but also because potential for its control is considered high.