Family: Malvaceae

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives, and can spread, in regions with tropical climates
  
• Reported to be naturalized in Martinique (but not reported in the Hawaiian Islands to date)
  
• A fast-growing pioneer tree that quickly establishes and can modify natural succession patterns
  
• Other Heliocarpus species are invasive
  
• Reported to form dense stands in Martinique that may compete with and exclude other vegetation
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by prolific seed production
  
• Fast-growing
  
• Seeds dispersed by wind, gravity, and possibly other means
  
• Seeds may persist in the seed bank for over one year

Low Risk Traits:

• Limited evidence of introduction outside native range
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Seedlings establish in high light environments (dense shade may inhibit ability to spread)
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively