Family: Commelinaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Naturalized on Maui, and Hawaii (Hawaiian Islands) and widely naturalized elsewhere
  
• An environmental weed in Florida, New Zealand, and Australia
  
• Other Tradescantia species have become invasive
  
• Contact may cause dermatitis with dogs and humans
  
• Shade-tolerant
  
• Smothers low growing vegetation
  
• Forms dense ground cover that excludes other vegetation
  
• Self-compatible
  
• Spreads prolifically from vegetative fragments
  
• Able to reproduce vegetatively at an early growth stage
  
• Vegetative fragments easily dispersed by water, vehicles, machinery, animals, in dumped garden waste or in contaminated soil
  
• Able to resprout after cutting or fire
  
• No effective natural enemies present in the Hawaiian Islands

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Palatable to cattle, chickens and rabbits
  
• Ornamental
  
• Seed production may be limited or absent within much of introduced range
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control