Family: Poaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability
  
• Naturalized on Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii (Hawaiian Islands) and elsewhere worldwide
  
• A disturbance-adapted weed that may impact agriculture and the natural environment (in Australia)
  
• Other Avena species are invasive weeds
  
• Allelopathic
  
• May cause photosensitization or nitrate poisoning under certain conditions
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Hybridizes with other Avena species
  
• Self-fertile
  
• Reaches maturity in one growing season
  
• Seeds dispersed as a produce and soil contaminant, by vehicles, animals, birds and possibly water, as well as through intentional cultivation
  
• Seeds can form a persistent seed bank

Low Risk Traits:

• Cultivated oats are domesticated and pose less risk of invasiveness than weedy races present elsewhere in the world
  
• Used as a palatable pasture species in the Hawaiian Islands, with no negative impacts reported, despite long history of cultivation
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Palatable
  
• Grows best in high light environments (dense shade may inhibit spread)
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control