There's an invasion happening along Pacific Coast Highway between Brookhurst and Magnolia streets. They've come by the hundreds and more are on their way, slowly consuming Brookhurst Marsh and threatening the areas around it.
It's the Sahara mustard, an invasive weed that has been in Southern California since 1927 but has boomed in population over the last 20 years, according to the California Invasive Plant Council.
It has overwhelmed the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in San Diego and now it has made its way to Huntington Beach.
"We have two major issues that we constantly struggle with. One is trash coming down the flood channel and blowing over from the beach and the other one is weeds," said Dr. Gordon Smith, chairman of the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy. "We've got the usual clovers, foxtails and dandelions, but this is a new one."
Smith said California State Parks environmental scientist David Pryor found the North African-native weeds a few weeks ago along the shoulder of Pacific Coast Highway and upon closer inspection found them growing in the sand dunes along the north side of the highway.
