CALIFORNIA QUARANTINE POLICY -WEEDS

The regulations of the interstate movement of weed pests into California is provided for in three areas of law and their related regulations:

1. Food and Agricultural Code, Division 4. Plant Quarantine and Pest Control provides quarantine authority against weed pests under Sections 6305 (unlawful to transport seed pests), 6341 through 6344 (seed pests in shipments), or 6461 through 6465 (abatement, reshipment, or treatment). These sections allow for the rejection of "A" and "Q" -rated weed pests whenever found and or "B" or "C"-rated weed pests based on individual county weed policy. Section 6461.5 is only applicable to weeds when a specimen has been collected from a shipment; "reasonable cause" cannot be used to reject without a sample of the weeds or weed seeds.

2. Food and Agriculture Division 18., Chapter 2, California Seed Law Sections 52251 through 52515 regulates "noxious weed" (Food and Agriculture 5004) seed found in agricultural or vegetable seed. The law allows for designation of "prohibited noxious weed seed" and "restricted noxious weed seed" for the adoption of standards and tolerances. Rejection and disposition of shipments, if not justified under quarantine action, are based on label requirements that are subject to tolerances.

3. The Plant Protection Act (Title IV of the federal Agriculture Risk Protection Act of 2000) replaces 10 existing federal laws with one statutory framework. This new act provides the USDA with the ability to prohibit or restrict imports, exports or interstate movements of noxious weeds.

 

Subtitle A of the Plant Protection Act:


Section 412: The USDA may prohibit or restrict the importation, entry, exportation, or movement in interstate commerce of any plant, plant product, biological control organism, noxious weed, article or means of conveyance, if the USDA determines that the prohibition or restriction is necessary to prevent the introduction into the United States or the dissemination of a plant pest or noxious weed within the United States.

Section 414: If the USDA considers it necessary in order to prevent the dissemination of a plant pest or noxious weed that is new to or not known to be widely prevalent or distributed within and throughout the United States, the USDA may hold, seize, quarantine, treat, apply other remedial measures to, destroy or otherwise dispose of any plant, plant pest, noxious weed, biological control organism, plant product, article or means of conveyance. Note: regulations issued under the authority of a provision of any law repealed by the Plant Protection Act shall remain in effect until such time as the USDA issues a regulation that supersedes the earlier regulation. The USDA is actively reviewing and revising existing noxious weed regulations at this time.

Note: Regulations issued under the authority of a provision of any law repealed by the Plant Protection Act shall remain in effect until such time as the USDA issues a regulation that supersedes the earlier regulation.  The USDA is actively reviewing existing noxious weed regulations this time.


A & Q RATED WEEDS

Except as provided in Section 3556 of the California Code of Regulations (California Feed Grain Program), shipments infested with any mature seed or other parts capable of propagation of any of the following species, shall be rejected whenever found and disposition offered as provided in Sections 6305, 6341 through 6344, or 6461 through 6465 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

 

*  

Acaena nova-zelandiae (= A. anserinifolia in part as used previously, and of British and Australian authors.) (biddy biddy)

 

Acaena pallida (= A. anserinifolia in part as used previously.) (pale biddy biddy)

 

Achnatherum brachychaetum (= Stipa brachychaeta) (punagrass)

*  

Aeschynomene rudis (rough jointvetch)

 

Alhagi maurorum sensu lato(= A. pseudalhagi)  (camel thorn)

* 

Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligatorweed)

 

Alternanthera sessilis (sessile joyweed)

** 

Arctotheca calendula (capeweed)

Atriplex amnicola (= A. cephalantha) (river saltbush)

 

Berteroa incana (= Alyssum incanum) (hoary alyssum)

Brachypodium sylvaticum (slender false brome)

 

Cabomba caroliniana (Carolina fanwort)

* 

Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle)

Carduus crispus (welted thistle)

* 

Carduus nutans (musk thistle)

* 

Carthamus leucocaulos (whitestem distaff thistle)

** 

Centaurea diffusa (diffuse knapweed)

** 

Centaurea iberica (Iberian starthistle)

** 

Centaurea maculosa (spotted knapweed)

Centraurea X monktonii (=C. pratensis, C. debeauxii var. thuilleri) (meadow knapweed)

** 

Centaurea squarrosa (squarrose knapweed)

 

Ceratopteris thalictroides (watersprite)

* 

Chondrilla juncea (skeletonweed)

 

Cirsium japonicum (Japanese thistle)

** 

Cirsium ochrocentrum (yellowspine thistle)

** 

Cirsium undulatum (wavyleaf thistle)

* 

Crupina vulgaris (bearded creeper)

** 

Cucumis melo var. dudaim (dudaim melon)

** 

Cuscuta reflexa (giant dodder)

Cuscuta spp. (non-native) (giant dodder)

 

Diodia virginiana (Virginia buttonweed)

Drymaria cordata (=Holosteum cordata) (whitesnow)

 

** 

Egeria najas

Euphorbia esula (leafy spurge)

Euphorbia graminea (grass-leaf spurge)

** 

Euphorbia serrata (serrate spurge)

 

Euphorbia terracina (Geraldton carnation spurge)

Fatoua villosa (hairy crabwees)

* 

Halimodendron halodendron (Russian salt tree)

*** 

Halogeton glomeratus (halogeton)

** 

Helianthus ciliaris (blueweed)

* 

Heteropogon contortus (tanglehead)

** 

Hydrilla verticillata (hydrilla)

*** 

Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (European frog bit)

 

Hygrophila polysperma (Indian swampweed)

Hypericum canariense (Canary Island St. Johnswort)

 

Lagarosiphon major (curly waterweed, oxygenweed)

 

Limnobium laevigatum (South American spongeplant)

 

Limnobium spongia (spongeplant)

 

Limnophila indica (ambulia)

Limnophila sessiliflora (dwarf ambulia)

* 

Linaria genistifolia ssp. dalmatica (= L. dalmatica) (Dalmatian toadflax)

 

Ludwigia peruviana (water primrose)

 

Myosoton aquaticum (=Stellaria aquatica) (giant chickweed)

 

Ononis alopecuroides (foxtail restharrow)

 

Onopordum acanthium (Scotch thistle)

 

Onopordum illyricum (Illyrian thistle)

 

Onopordum tauricum (Taurian thistle)

** 

Onopordum spp. (Onopordum thistles)

* 

Orobanche cooperi (Cooper's broomrape) (= O. cooperi as used in Munz "A California Flora of S. California".) (= O. multiflora as used in Correll and Johnson's "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas".) (desert broomrape)

*  

Orobanche ramosa (branched broomrape)

 

Peganum harmala (harmel)

* 

Physalis longifolia (long-leaf groundcherry)

Potentilla recta (sulfur cinquefoil)

* 

Prosopis strombulifera (creeping mesquite)

 

Retama monosperma (Bridal broom)

Rorippa sylvestris (creeping yellow field cress)

 

Salsola collina (spineless Russianthistle)

* 

Salsola vermiculata sensu lato (wormleaf saltwort)

* 

Salvia virgata (= S. pratensis.) (meadow sage)

 

Salvinia auriculata complex (including S. auriculata, S. biloba, S. herzogii and S. molesta) (giant salvinia)

Salvinia molesta (giant salvinia)

 * 

Scolymus hispanicus (golden thistle)

 

Senna obtusifolia (sicklepod, Java bean)

 

Sesbania punicea (=S. tripetii) (rattlebox, scarlet wisteria)

** 

Solanum cardiophyllum (heartleaf nightshade)

* 

Solanum dimidiatum (Torrey's nightshade)

** 

Sonchus arvensis (perennial sowthistle)

* 

Sphaerophysa salsula (Austrian peaweed)

*  

Striga asiatica (= S. lutea) (witchweed)

*  

Tagetes minuta (wild marigold)

 

Tribolium obliterum (Cape grass)

*   

Zygophyllum fabago (= Z. fabago var. brachycarpum) (Syrian beancaper)

Zostera japonica (Japanese eelgrass)

*      Found in Transit – Unlikely
**    Found in Transit – Rarely
***  Found in Transit – Frequently


B & C RATED WEEDS

Except as provided in Section 3556 of the California Code of Regulations (California Feed Grain Program), shipments infested with any mature seed or other parts capable of propagation of any of the following species shall be rejected only when in the area of destination: (1) the weed pest is not of common occurrence or (2) if intensive control or eradication measures are being conducted  against such a pest.

*   

Acacia paradoxa (= A. armata) (kangaroo thorn)

Acaena magellanica (bidi-bidi)

***   

Acroptilon repens (= Centurea repens) (Russian knapweed)

*   

Aegilops cylindrica (jointed goatgrass)

*   

Aegilops ovata (ovate goatgrass)

*   

Aegilops triuncialis (barb goatgrass)

Ailanthus altissima (=Ailanthus altissima) (tree-of-heaven)

*   

Allium paniculatum (panicled onion)

**   

Allium vineale (wild garlic)

**   

Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed)

*   

Araujia sericifera (bladderflower)

Arundo donax (giant reed)

***   

Bacopa monnieri (=Bramia monnieri)  (water hyssop, moneywort)

Bupleurum rotundifolium (hare’s ear, throughwax)

***   

Cardaria chalepensis (lens-podded hoarycress)

***   

Cardaria draba (heart-podded hoarycress)

***   

Cardaria pubescens (globe-podded hoarycress)

**   

Carduus pycnocephalus (=C. pycnocephalus, Kentrophyllum baeticum, Carthamus lanatus ssp.) (Italian thistle)

**   

Carduus tenuiflorus (=C. pycnocephalus, C. malacitanus, C. sardous) (slenderflowered thistle)

*   

Carthamus baeticus (smooth distaff thistle)

*   

Carthamus lanatus (woolly distaff thistle)

**   

Cenchrus echinatus (southern sandbur grass)

**   

Cenchrus incertus (=C. paufiflorus, C. spinifex, C. parviceps) (coast sandbur grass)

**   

Cenchrus longispinus (=C. pauciflorus, Cenchrus echinatus) (mat sandbur grass)

***   

Centaurea calcitrapa (purple starthistle)

Centaurea melitensis (tocalote)

***   

Centaurea solstitialis (yellow starthistle)

*   

Centaurea sulphurea (Sicilian thistle)

**   

Chorispora tenella (purple mustard)

***   

Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)

Cirsium vulgare (=Carduus lanceolatus, Cirsium lanceolatum, Cnicus lanceolatus) (bull thistle)

**   

Convolvulus arvensis (field bindweed)

*   

Coronopus squamatus (swinecress)

 

Cortaderia jubata (=Gynerium jubatum) (pampas grass)

Cotula mexicana (=Soliva Mexicana, Soliva pygmaea, Cotula minuta, Hippia minuta, Gymnostyles minuta, Lancisia minuta, Soliva minuta) (creeping brass buttons)

*   

Cucumis myriocarpus (paddy melon)

***   

Cuscuta spp. (Native) (dodder)

**   

Cynara cardunculus (artichoke thistle)

***   

Cynodon spp. and hybrids (bermudagrass)

**   

Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge)

**   

Cyperus rotundus (purple nutsedge)

*   

Cytisus scoparius (Scotch broom)

***   

Egeria densa (=Anacharis densa, Elodea densa, Philotria densa) (Brazilian waterweed)

Eichhornia crassipes (=Pontederia crassipes, P. crassipes, Piaropus crassipes) (common water hyacinth)

***   

Elytrigia repens (= Agropyron repens) (quackgrass)

*   

Euphorbia oblongata (oblong spurge)

**   

Gaura coccinea (scarlet gaura)

**   

Gaura drummondii (Drummond's gaura)

**   

Gaura sinuata (wavy-leaved gaura)

*   

Genista monspessulana (= Cystis monspessulanus) (French broom)

*   

Gypsophila paniculata (baby's breath)

*   

Hyoscyamus niger ( black henbane)

**   

Hypericum perforatum (Klamathweed)

*   

Iris douglasiana (Douglas iris)

*   

Iris missouriensis (Western blue flag)

*   

Isatis tinctoria (dyer's woad)

**   

Iva axillaris (povertyweed)

**   

Lepidium latifolium (perennial peppercress)

*   

Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife)

**   

Malvella leprosa (= Sida leprosa var. hederacea) (alkali mallow)

*   

Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill)

**   

Myriophyllum spicatum (Eurasian water milfoil)

 

Nassella tenuissima (=Stipa tenuissima, stipa cirrosa, Stipa geniculata, Stipa mendocina, Stipa oreophila, Stipa subulata, Stipa tenuissims) (finesteam tussockgrass, feathergrass)

*   

Nothoscordum gracile (false garlic)

*   

 

Nymphaea mexicana (banana waterlily)

Nymphaea odorata (=Castalia odorata) (fragrant waterlily)

**   

Oryza rufipogon (perennial wild red rice)

*   

Panicum antidotale (blue panicgrass)

*   

Pennisetum clandestinum (Kikuyugrass)

*   

Physalis viscosa (grape groundcherry)

***   

Pistia stratiotes (water lettuce)

*   

Polygonum amphibium var. emersum (=P. coccineum) (kelp)

Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese Knotweed)

Polygonum polystachyum (Himalayan knotweed)

*   

Polygonum sachalinense (giant knotweed)

*   

Rorippa austriaca (Austrian fieldcress)

 

Rotala rotundifolia (roudleaf rotala)

***   

Salsola paulsenii (barbwire Russianthistle)

***   

Salsola tragus (= S. iberica) (common Russianthistle)

**   

Salvia aethiopis (Mediterranean sage)

**   

Senecio jacobaea (tansy ragwort)

**   

Senecio squalidus (Oxford ragwort)

**   

Setaria faberi (giant foxtail)

**   

Solanum carolinense (Carolina horsenettle)

**   

Solanum elaeagnifolium (white horsenettle)

*   

Solanum lanceolatum (lanceleaf nightshade)

*   

Solanum marginatum (white-margined nightshade)

***   

Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass and other perennial Sorghum spp. including but not limited to Sorghum almum and perennial sweet sudangrass)

*   

Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)

*   

Taeniatherum caput-medusae (Elymus caput-medusae or T. asperum) (medusahead)

**   

Tamarix chinensis (=T. caspica, T. gallica, T. japonica) (Chinese tamrisk)

Tamarix gallica (=T. canariensis, T. ehrenbergii, T. elegans, T. epacroides, T. evermanni, T. indica, T. lessingii, T. libanotica, T. mannifera, T. narbonensis, T. nilotica, T. palaestina, T. pallasii, T. paniculata, T. pentrdra, T. senegalensis, T. tetrandra)

Tamarix parviflora (=T. cretica, T. gallica, T. pentandra, T. petteri)

Tamarix ramosissima (=T. gallica)

Tribulus terrestris (puncture vine)

*   

Ulex europaeus (gorse)

*   

Viscum album (European mistletoe)



*    Found in Transit – Unlikely
**   Found in Transit – Rarely
***  Found in Transit – Frequently


PLANT PROTECTION ACT    03-23-01

The following mature plants, seeds, or other parts capable of propagation are within the definition of a "noxious weed" under regulations pursuant to the Plant Protection Act and shall not be moved unless under permit from the USDA, Plant Protection and Quarantine Programs. For material moving within the State, a State permit is sufficient.


a. Aquatic and Wetland Weeds:

 

Azolla pinnata

 

Caulerpa taxifolia (Mediterranean clone)

 

Eichhornia azurea

Hydrilla verticillata

 

Hygrophila polysperma

Ipomoea aquatica

 

Lagarosiphon major

Limnophila sessiliflora

 

Monochoria hastata

Monochoria vaginalis

 

Ottalia alismoidas

Sagittaria sagittifolia

 

Salvinia auriculata

 

Salvinia biloba

 

Salvinia herzogii

Salvinia molesta

 

Solanum tampicense (wetland nightshade)

 

Sparganium erectum

 

Stratiotes aloides

 

b. Parasitic Weeds:

 

Aeginetia ssp.

 

Alectra ssp.

Cuscuta spp. ƒ

Orobanche spp. ƒƒ

 

Striga spp.




c. Terrestrial Weeds:

 

Ageratina adenophora

 

Alternanthera sessilis

 

Asphodelus fistulosus

 

Avena sterilis (including A. ludoviciana)

 

Carthamus oxycantha

 

Chrysopogon aciculatus

 

Commelina benghalensis

Crupina vulgaris

 

Digitaria scalarum

 

Digitaria velutina

 

Drymaria arenarioides

 

Emex australis

 

Emex spinosa

 

Galega officinalis

 

Heracleum mantegazzianum

 

Homeria spp.

 

Imperata brasiliensis

Imperata cylindrica

 

Ischaemum rugosum

 

Leptochloa chinensis

Lycium ferocissimum

Melaleuca quenquinervia

 

Melastoma malabathricum

 

Mikania cordata

 

Mikania micrantha

 

Mimosa invisa

 

Mimosa pigra var pigra

 

Nassella trichotoma

Opuntia aurantiaca

 

Oryza longistaminata

 

Oryza punctata

Oryza rufipogon

 

Paspalum scrobiculatum

Pennisetum clandestinum

 

Pennisetum macrourum

 

Pennisetum pedicellatum

 

Pennisetum polystachion

 

Prosopis alpataco

 

Prosopis argentina

 

Prosopis articulata

 

Prosopis burkartii

 

Prosopis caldenia

 

Prosopis calingastana

 

Prosopis campestris

 

Prosopis castellanosii

 

Prosopis denudans

 

Prosopis elata

 

Prosopis farcta

 

Prosopis ferox

 

Prosopis fiebrigii

 

Prosopis hassleri

 

Prosopis humilis

 

Prosopis kuntzei

 

Prosopis pallida

 

Prosopis palmeri

 

Prosopis reptans

 

Prosopis rojasiana

 

Prosopis ruizleali

 

Prosopis ruscifolia

 

Prosopis sericantha

 

Prosopis strombulifera

 

Prosopis torquata

 

Rottboellia cochinchinensis

 

Rubus fruticosus

 

Rubus moluccanus

 

Saccharum spontaneum

Salsola vermiculata

 

Setaria pallide-fusca

Solanum torvum

 

Solanum viarum

 

Spermacoce alata

 

Tridax procumbens

 

Urochloa panicoides

 


ƒ    See 7 CFR 360 for exceptions
ƒƒ  See 7 CFR 360 for exceptions


   May be moved intrastate without a permit. Grown and/ or distributed as produce in California.

   May be moved intrastate with a permit. Known to occur and of limited distribution in California.

   Interstate, intrastate and international movement require appropriate USDA or CDFA plant pest permit.


Other movement of all other listed species requires a USDA permit for interstate or international shipments.

This weed policy does not restrict the designation as a pest of any species not listed herein as defined in Section 5006 of the Food and Agricultural Code.


CALIFORNIA QUARANTINE POLICY -WEEDS

Click to view Chart of the Commissioner's Weed Policy covering "B" & "C" Weeds
(common names: A to Ki)

Click to view Chart of the Commissioner's Weed Policy covering "B" & "C" Weeds
(common names: Kl to Y)