Family: Fabaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Broad climate suitability
- Elevation range exceeds 1000 m
- Naturalized in a number of locations
- A potential environmental weed
- A number of Senna species have become invasive
- Allelopathic properties
- Seeds, pods, and foliage are toxic to pigs and non-ruminants
- Sawdust may cause some irritation to the nose, throat and eyes
- Tolerates many soil types
- Reported to form dense thickets in Africa
- Spreads by seeds (human, animal and water mediated)
- Viable seeds pass through guts of animals
- Forms a persistent seed bank
- Coppices vigorously
Low Risk Traits:
- Despite history of naturalization and invasiveness, negative impacts have not been extensively documented to date
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable fodder plant to cattle and other ruminants
- High light demander (may not spread into understory of intact forests)
- Not a nitrogen fixing tree
- Valued as a shade tree
- Pods and seeds are relatively large, which could limit long-distance dispersal
- Herbicides may provide effective control