Family: Fabaceae

Senna polyphylla (desert cassia) is a small tree or shrub native to the Caribbean. It is a hardy plant, being drought and relatively salt tolerant, which are good qualities for xeriscaping and rock gardens. It is also used in butterfly gardens and even sometimes as a bonsai tree. It is grown in cultivation outside of its native range, and is a popular landscape tree in South Florida. This plant has not been documented as naturalized in any Hawaiian Islands to date.

High Risk Traits:

• Thrives, and could spread, in regions with arid tropical climates
  
• Possibly naturalized in Africa and Mexico
  
• Other Senna species are invasive
  
• Unpalatable to cattle
  
• May be a host of some plant pests
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Seeds dispersed by livestock and intentionally by people
  
• Tolerates pruning; may resprout after repeated cutting

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of invasiveness or negative impacts where introduced
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Not reported to be toxic
  
• Thrives in full sun, high light environments (dense shade may inhibit ability to spread
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Slow growth rate and time to maturity
  
• Seeds unlikely to be dispersed long distances