Family: Fabaceae

Acacia karroo (karroothorn, sweet thorn) is a shrub to medium sized tree native to southern Africa. This plant has many uses such as making chemical products, domestic uses, and environmental management. It also provides fiber, food, drink, and wood. This plant is naturalized in several countries where it has been introduced, but has not been reported in the Hawaiian Islands to date. The shrub can grow in high elevations and is an agricultural and environmental weed. It has thorns, produces many seeds, grows dense stands, and has a seed bank that can last up to 7 years. Therefore planting of this species is highly discouraged.

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Naturalized in several countries where it has been introduced (but not reported in the Hawaiian Islands to date)
  
• Agricultural and environmental weed
  
• Other Acacia species have become invasive
  
• Thorny, with spinescent stipules
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Forms dense thickets
  
• May hybridize with other Acacia species
  
• Seeds dispersed in droppings of animals, by wind (short distances), water and people
  
• Able to reach maturity in 2+ years
  
• Prolific seed production
  
• Seeds form a persistent seed bank (up to 7 years)
  
• Coppices vigorously and spreads by root suckers

Low Risk Traits:

• Provides fodder for livestock
  
• Non-toxic to animals and humans
  
• Mostly self-incompatible
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively