Family: Brassicaceae

Camelina sativa, commonly known as false flax or gold of pleasure, is an annual flowering plant in the mustard family (Brassicaceae) native to Europe and temperate Asia. It has a long history as an oilseed crop and is characterized by slender stems, narrow leaves, and small pale yellow flowers that produce tiny, oil-rich seeds. In recent years, camelina has gained renewed interest for its use in biofuels, edible oils high in omega-3 fatty acids, animal feed, and some industrial products. It is often promoted as a low-input crop due to its tolerance of poor soils and relatively dry conditions.

Although camelina has economic value, it is also known to behave as a weedy species outside its native range. It readily establishes in disturbed areas and agricultural fields, where it can compete with crops and contaminate harvested seed, particularly in flax and small-grain systems. The plant spreads primarily through human activity, such as contaminated seed and farm equipment, and can persist once established in cultivated landscapes. While it is not known to invade intact natural ecosystems, its ability to naturalize in disturbed environments raises concerns in Hawaiʻi, where introduced plants frequently escape cultivation. If false flax is grown, appropriate management measures and best practices should be adopted to prevent or minimize escape and spread.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized beyond native range (but not in Hawaiian Islands to date)
  
• Has weedy races
  
• Agricultural weed (especially in flax)
  
• Allelopathic (inhibits other plants)
  
• Tolerates varied soil conditions
  
• Produces viable seeds
  
• Self-compatible (can self-pollinate)
  
• Short generation time (annual/biennial)
  
• Multiple dispersal pathways (wind, crop contamination, survives digestion)
  
• Repeatedly introduced intentionally

Low Risk Traits:

• Not well suited to tropical climates
  
• Not shade tolerant
  
• Not toxic to animals or humans
  
• Not parasitic or spiny
  
• Not a major pest/pathogen host
  
• Does not form thickets or climb
  
• Not dispersed by birds or external attachment