Family: Costaceae

Costus lasius, commonly known as yellow lollipop, is a tropical ornamental plant native to parts of Central and South America. It is a compact, clumping ginger relative with broad, lush green leaves and upright stems topped by rounded, cone-like flower heads that produce bright yellow blooms. Because of its tidy growth habit and eye-catching flowers, yellow lollipop is widely used in tropical landscaping, shaded gardens, and as an accent plant in residential and commercial settings. It is especially valued for adding color and texture to moist, partially shaded areas.

At this time, Costus lasius is considered Low Risk in Hawaiʻi. It is not known to aggressively spread or form dense infestations in natural areas, and there is no strong evidence that it displaces native plants or significantly alters ecosystems. While it can reproduce under favorable garden conditions, its spread appears limited and manageable. As with all non-native plants, responsible cultivation and proper disposal of plant material are encouraged to prevent unintended escape into the environment.

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Other Costus species have naturalized and may be invasive
  
• Shade-tolerant
  
• Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by rhizomes
  
• Hybridizes with other Costus species
  
• Lack of ecological information minimizes accuracy of risk prediction

Low Risk Traits:

• No evidence of naturalization or invasiveness outside native range
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Ornamental value
  
• Hummingbird-pollinated in native range (may limit seed set where hummingbirds are absent)
  
• Limited or lacking seed production may minimize longer distance dispersal