Family: Cactaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Able to grow in tropical climates
- Naturalized in Florida, and Puerto Rico. Naturalizing on Hawaii Island
- Spiny
- Spines may deter browsing
- Younger plants Shade-tolerant, Older plants thrive in full sun
- Tolerates many soil types
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by fallen pads
- Seeds dispersed by fruit-eating animals and intentionally by people
- Limited ecological information outside native range may reduce accuracy of risk prediction
Low Risk Traits:
- Non-toxic
- Ornamental uses and edible fruit
- Seeds relatively large, which may limit accidental dispersal
- Fruit may ripen after falling to ground, which could limit bird dispersal