Galveston Bay Invasive Species Field Guide

The Quiet Invasion: A Guide to Invasive Plants of the Galveston Bay Area was created in 2006 by the Houston Advanced Research Center with funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Galveston Bay Estuary Program. The pocket-sized field guide helps gardeners, land managers, and landscape architects identify invasive plants that can be harmful to local habitats. The guide suggests native species alternatives which are better choices for planting.

Species identified in the guide are plants from other parts of world that, when planted in the Houston-Galveston region, survive, reproduce and crowd out native species. They eventually harm local habitats and the wildlife that depend on them. Examples of invasive plants include: Chinese tallow, deep-rooted sedge, and water hyacinth. Color photos help the residence of Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Harris and Liberty counties identify each of the 20 invasive plant species described in the printed guide. An additional 20 species are presented in Web version at - www.galvbayinvasives.org.ÂInformation describing each species’ geographic distribution, pathway of introduction, physical characteristics, preferred habitat, reproduction and growth patterns is included.

Water hyacinth covers the Wallisville Lake Project near the Trinity River. Photo courtesy Lisa Gonzalez, HARC.

Lisa Gonzalez, HARC
phone: 281-364-6044
email: lgonzalez@harc.edu

or

The Galveston Bay Estuary Program
phone:  281-218-6461
email:  gbep@tceq.state.tx.us

website:Âwww.galvbayinvasives.org