Family: Euphorbiaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Manihot glaziovii, commonly known as ceara rubber tree, is a fast-growing tree native to northeastern Brazil. It was historically cultivated as a source of natural rubber and has also been planted as an ornamental, shade tree, and drought-tolerant landscape species in tropical and subtropical regions. The tree has large, deeply lobed leaves and produces milky sap typical of members of the spurge family. In Hawaii, it has become naturalized on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi Island, where it is sometimes found growing in disturbed areas, roadsides, and dry to mesic habitats.

Risks & Threats
Ceara rubber tree is considered a high risk species because it is naturalized in Hawaii and possesses traits associated with invasive behavior. It grows rapidly, tolerates challenging environmental conditions, and can spread beyond cultivation into natural and semi-natural areas. These characteristics raise concerns that it could detrimentally impact tropical island ecosystems by competing with native vegetation and altering habitat structure. Because of these risks, Plant Pono recommends choosing a low risk or native alternative whenever suitable alternatives are available.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized in Hawaiian Islands and other locations
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Disturbance weed
  
• Potentially toxic under certain conditions
  
• Tolerates many soil conditions (and potentially able to exploit many different habitat types)
  
• Can hybridize with M. esculenta (Cassava)
  
• Apomictic
  
• Ballistic seed dispersal
  
• Seeds also ant-dispersed
  
• Seeds may remain dormant and form a seed bank

Low Risk Traits:

• Source of rubber
  
• Unarmed
  
• Fodder tree (although potentially toxic under certain conditions)
  
• No evidence of vegetative spread
  
• Ballistic seed dispersal may limit spread to vicinity of parent trees