Family: Asteraceae

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate suitability
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Widely naturalized, including main Hawaiian Islands (except Ni‘ihau)
  
• A lawn and disturbance weed
  
• An agricultural weed of several crops
  
• A potential environmental weed (although impacts in the Hawaiian Islands appear to be minimal)
  
• May be allelopathic
  
• An alternate host of crop pests and pathogens
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Self-compatible
  
• An annual, able to complete its life cycle in 130 to 150 days
  
• Seeds dispersed by wind, water, by external attachment to animals and people, and as a produce contaminant
  
• Prolific seed production
  
• Seeds may remain viable in the soil for at least one year

Low Risk Traits:

• Despite its designation as a significant crop weed, generally regarded as a weed of minor significance in the Hawaiian Islands
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Provides fodder for livestock
  
• Slashing and cultivation provide good control