Family: Fabaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Broad climate suitability and elevation range
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Naturalized on Oahu, Lanai, and Maui (Hawaiian Islands) and widely naturalized elsewhere
- A weed of disturbed sites that may impact some crops
- Considered an environmental weed in riparian areas of the Northern Territory, Australia
- Tolerates many soil types
- Climbing and smothering habit
- Reproduces by seeds
- Cleistogamous (self-pollinating), but a small level of outcrossing occurs
- Reaches maturity quickly (as early as 8-9 weeks after sowing)
- Seeds dispersed by dehiscent pods, water, garden waste, as a crop contaminant, in animal dung, and intentionally by people
- Hard-coated seeds may form a persistent seed bank
- Tolerates and resprouts after fire
Low Risk Traits:
- In the Hawaiian Islands, valued as a fodder crop or ornamental plant with no reports of detrimental impacts to natural areas or agriculture
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Provides fodder for livestock
- Thrives in full sun (dense shade may limit spread)
- Stems do not root at the nodes (not reported to spread by vegetative fragmentation)
- Herbicides may provide effective control
