Family: Salicaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized in Australia, New Zealand, mainland North America and elsewhere (but no evidence in the Hawaiian Islands to date)
  
• Designated as an environmental weed in Australia and New Zealand, impacting native biodiversity
  
• Other Salix species are invasive
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reported to form dense stands in New Zealand
  
• Hybridizes with other Salix species
  
• Reproduces by seeds and spreads vegetatively by stem fragments
  
• Seeds dispersed by wind and intentionally by people
  
• Spread vegetatively by water and discarded garden waste
  
• Tolerates repeated pruning and cutting

Low Risk Traits:

• Primarily a temperate species; may limit ability to spread to upper elevations of tropical climates
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Dioecious (requires male and female trees to produce seeds)
  
• Seeds lose viability quickly (will not form a persistent seed bank)
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control if needed