Family: Malvaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Other Brachychiton species have become invasive
  
• Nitrate poisoning may occur if fed to cattle
  
• Seeds surrounded by irritant hairs
  
• Moderate flammability; may increase fire risk in fire prone areas
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seed
  
• Hybridizes with other Brachychiton species
  
• Seeds dispersed intentionally by people and possibly by bird and rodent seed predators
  
• Able to sucker and resprout after fire and probably cutting
  
• Limited ecological information (esp. reproductive biology) reduces accuracy of risk prediction

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of invasiveness or naturalization
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Provides fodder for livestock (palatable despite potential nitrate toxicity)
  
• Ornamental
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Slow growth rate
  
• Relatively large seeds unlikely to be accidentally dispersed