Family: Apocynaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Naturalized on Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Maui (Hawaiian Islands) and several locations worldwide
  
• A disturbance-adapted weed with potential impacts to agriculture and natural areas
  
• Calotropis procera is an invasive weed
  
• Unpalatable to browsing and grazing mammals
  
• Toxic to animals and people
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seeds (rarely in Hawaii) and vegetatively by suckering
  
• Able to reach maturity in <1 year
  
• Seeds, when produced, dispersed by wind, water and intentionally by people
  
• Tolerates hard pruning

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Thrives in full sun and high light environments
  
• Ornamental and host plant of monarch butterflies
  
• Limited or absent seed set in Hawaiian Islands reduces risk of inadvertent dispersal or spread
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control