Family: Fabaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Naturalized in China
- Repeated introductions outside native range (India, Pakistan, Mauritius, Hawaii, Florida)
- Nitrogen-fixing (can alter soils)
- Bird-dispersed (aril attracts birds)
- Water-dispersed (found along rivers/streams)
- Persistent seed bank (germinates after storage)
- Tolerates wide range of soil types
Low Risk Traits:
- No spines, thorns, or burrs
- Not allelopathic, parasitic, or toxic
- Palatable to grazing animals
- Not shade tolerant (requires full sun)
- Does not form dense thickets
- Slow to mature (~5 years to flowering)
- Low seed production (1–3 seeds per pod)
- No evidence of fire hazard or herbicide issues
