Family: Euphorbiaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Elevation range exceeds 2000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Naturalized on all the main Hawaiian Islands and widely naturalized elsewhere
- Disturbance-adapted lawn and crop weed
- Other Euphorbia species are invasive weeds
- Allelopathic
- Toxic to livestock
- Tolerates many soil types
- Reproduces by prolific seed production
- Annual, reaching maturity in one growing season
- Seeds dispersed by wind, water, vehicles, in soil and in contaminated agricultural produce
- Seeds survive gut passage
- Able to resprout from roots and tolerates mowing
Low Risk Traits:
- In Hawaiian Islands, occurs in low elevation, dry disturbed sites and generally not considered a significant environmental weed
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable to animals despite reports of toxicity
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Herbicides may provide effective control