Family: Asparagaceae

Dracaena aubryana (lance dracaena) is a tropical ornamental plant native to Angola, Cameroon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Gulf of Guinea Islands. It is commonly cultivated for its striking, lance-shaped leaves and upright growth habit, making it a popular choice for landscaping and indoor decoration. Like other Dracaena species, it tolerates shade and low maintenance conditions and can reproduce vegetatively from stem cuttings, which allows it to establish readily in suitable environments.

Recently, Dracaena aubryana has been reported as naturalized on the island of Oʻahu, where it has begun spreading outside of cultivation. While its ecological impacts in Hawaiʻi are not yet known, its persistence in natural settings raises concerns about potential invasiveness. Continued observation will help determine whether management action is needed to prevent it from becoming a threat to native ecosystems.

High Risk Traits:

• Suited to tropical/subtropical climates
  
• History of introduction outside native range
  
• Naturalized in new regions (e.g., Oahu)
  
• Toxic to pets (contains saponins)
  
• Shade tolerant
  
• Reproduces by seed and vegetative fragments
  
• Animal-dispersed fruits
  
• Human-dispersed (ornamental trade, garden waste)

Low Risk Traits:

• Not reported as agricultural/environmental weed
  
• No spines/thorns
  
• Non-climbing, no dense thickets observed
  
• Low seed production
  
• No persistent seed bank
  
• Not wind or water dispersed