Family: Asparagaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Broad hardiness range
- Can grow, and could spread, in arid climates in the tropics
- Reported to be toxic to dogs and possibly other animals
- Tolerates many soil types
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by bulbils and division of clumps
- Hybridizes with other species in genus
- Seeds dispersed by wind and through intentional cultivation
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of naturalization or invasiveness
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- May be palatable to deer and other browsing animals (in spite of reports of toxicity)
- Grows best in high light environments (dense shade may inhibit spread)
- Self-incompatible
- Pollinated by hummingbirds, and possibly long-tongued insects (pollinator limitation may reduce seed set)