Family: Fabaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Grows in regions with Mediterranean to subtropical climates
  
• Naturalized on Maui and Hawaii islands, and elsewhere
  
• Environmental weed in Australia
  
• Other Cytisus species are invasive
  
• Seeds reported to be toxic
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reported to form dense stands in Australia
  
• Nitrogen fixing (may allow invasion by other weeds)
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Self-compatible
  
• Reaches maturity in 3 years
  
• Seeds explosively released from pods
  
• Seeds also may be dispersed by ants, birds, dumped garden waste
  
• Forms a long-lived seed bank
  
• Able to resprout after cutting and browsing, tolerates fire

Low Risk Traits:

• Unarmed (no spines, thorns or burrs)
  
• Provides fodder for livestock (palatable despite reports of possible toxicity)
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Herbicides may provide effective control