Family: Colchicaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Naturalized in several locations (but no evidence in Hawaiian Islands to date)
- Environmental weed in Australia
- Poisonous to animals and humans
- Tolerates many soil types
- Climbing, smothering habit and forms dense stands that crowd out native vegetation (Australia)
- Geophyte
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by rhizomes
- Self-fertile
- Seeds dispersed by birds, water, as a soil contaminant and intentionally by people
- Dispersed as dumped garden waste
- Able to resprout after cutting
Low Risk Traits:
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Thrives in full sun (dense shade may limit spread)
- Ornamental
- Herbicides may provide effective control
