Family: Malvaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Grows, and capable of spreading in regions with tropical climates
- Naturalized or escaped from cultivation in SE Asia (no evidence in Hawaiian Islands to date)
- Other species have become invasive
- Tolerates many soil types
- Reproduces by seeds and cuttings
- Self-fertile
- Capable of reaching maturity in one year or more
- Seeds dispersed by humans (intentionally and possibly unintentionally)
- Seeds able to be stored for extended periods; May form a persistent seed bank
- Tolerates and resprouts after heavy pruning
Low Risk Traits:
- Despite some references of weediness, no negative impacts have been documented where cultivated
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Foliage palatable to animals and people
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Herbicides provide effective control of Hibiscus if needed