Family: Cleomaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability (native to tropical climates and widely naturalized in warm temperate to tropical regions)
  
• Widely naturalized in North America, China, and elsewhere (but no evidence in the Hawaiian Islands to date)
  
• A weedy plant of disturbed habitats, and anecdotally reported to be a problem in gardens and landscape settings
  
• Other Cleome species are invasive weeds
  
• Leaves with stipular and scattered spines
  
• Unpalatable to deer, rabbits, and cattle
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Self-fertile
  
• Annual life cycle, reaching maturity in one growing season
  
• Seeds dispersed through dehiscence, and possibly as a soil contaminant, by water, and through intentional cultivation

Low Risk Traits:

• Despite widespread naturalization, negative impacts appear to be minor and largely restricted to disturbed environments
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Grows best in high light environments (dense shade may inhibit spread)
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control