Family: Cactaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Grows in tropical climates
- Environmentally adaptable
- Naturalized
- Environmental weed in Australia and Florida
- Areoles with 1-4 conical spines
- Shade-tolerant
- Tolerates many soil conditions (and potentially able to exploit many different habitat types)
- Climbing and smothering growth habit
- Some varieties may be self-compatible
- Spreads vegetatively
- Fruits, when produced, may be consumed, and seeds dispersed by birds
- Tolerates cuttings, and fragments may reroot
Low Risk Traits:
- Non-toxic
- Edible fruit
- Requires specialized pollinators (bats and hawk moths)
- Landscaping and ornamental value
- Reaches maturity after several years
- Limited fruit and seed production in the wild