History

PlantRight was founded in 2005 to stop the sale of invasive garden plants in an environmentally sound and economically viable manner. Though more than half of California's invasive plants were originally introduced through horticultural channels, no cohesive effort previously existed to work with the nursery industry to prevent the spread of invasive plants in the state.

Since its inception, PlantRight has brought together leaders from the nursery industry, environmental advocates, academics, and professional landscapers to find cost-effective ways to stop the sale of invasive plants. Recognizing that prevention is the most effective way to combat their spread, PlantRight offers an opportunity for the nursery industry to take the lead on this issue, while protecting California's unique biodiversity and curtailing the need for regulation.

PlantRight's model has been recognized as a solution whose application could carry well beyond California's borders. PlantRight was highlighted in a report to the U.S. Department of the Interior developed by the National Invasive Species Council as a promising model to prevent the sale and spread of invasives. PlantRight has also been looked to by a governor-appointed taskforce in Arizona as a model that could greatly benefit their state. Environmental groups and horticulture businesses in Utah, Texas, Michigan, Washington, and Florida have also expressed interest in modeling partnerships after PlantRight.

PlantRight has the potential to alter the direction of an entire industry and cultivate a truly pioneering model for collaborative, balanced conservation and the protection of natural resources. As PlantRight continues to build support, key components of its strategy include:

• Engaging nursery leaders to voluntarily remove known invasive plants from their inventories and replace them with non-invasive alternatives.
• Preventing the introduction of new invasive plants by designing, testing and deploying an easy-to-administer tool to screen new plants for their invasive properties.
• Communicating our impact to accelerate interest on the part of additional plant growers and retailers to participate in the PlantRight program.

Please see our guides for home gardeners and nursery professionals to learn how you can join the PlantRight effort.