Family: Poaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Thrives in tropical climates (increases probability that it could establish in Hawaiian Islands)
- Other Cymbopogon species have become invasive
- Unpalatable to grazing animals
- Reproduces by seed (rarely)
- Hybridizes with C. nardus
- Able to reach maturity in one growing season
- Intentionally cultivated (and dispersed) by people
- Tolerates and can regrow after repeated cutting and harvesting
Low Risk Traits:
- Known only from cultivation (no verified reports of naturalization or invasiveness)
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Source of essential oil
- Grows best in full sun
- Grows on limited soil types
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Limited or absent seed production reduces risk of inadvertent dispersal