Family: Asteraceae
High Risk Traits:
- Can grow and spread in regions with Mediterranean to subtropical climates.
- A South African native naturalized in regions of Europe, North America, New Zealand, and established and apparently naturalized on Hawaii Island
- A weed of natural areas in California, capable of invading undisturbed scrub and displacing native species
- Other Helichrysum species are invasive weeds.
- Unpalatable to deer and probably other browsing animals
- Tolerates many soil types.
- Reported to form dense stands.
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by rooting stems.
- Hybridizes with other Helichrysum species.
- Reported to reach reproductive maturity in 2 years.
- Seeds dispersed by wind, and through intentional cultivation.
- Vegetative fragments spread in dumped garden waste.
- Reported to produce large numbers of seeds.
- May be able to establish after fire (from seed)
Low Risk Traits:
- Although invading natural areas in California, reported to spread slowly, and impacts on native ecosystems have not been quantified.
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- No confirmed reports of toxicity (although a few websites claim it is poisonous)
- Grows best in high light environments (dense shade may inhibit spread)