Family: Apocynaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Cascabela thevetioides (giant thevetia, giant luckynut, cascabel grande) is a small evergreen tree or large shrub native to Mexico. It is valued for its large, showy, trumpet-shaped yellow flowers, glossy green leaves, and attractive ornamental form. Blooming over an extended season, it is commonly grown as a landscape specimen in tropical and subtropical climates, where it adds vibrant color to gardens and parks. Like its close relative yellow oleander, it is drought tolerant once established and is sometimes used as a screening plant or accent tree.

Risks & Threats
Cascabela thevetioides is considered a low-risk species for Hawaii because it has not shown evidence of becoming invasive and is not known to naturalize in the islands. While it produces seeds, there is little indication that it spreads aggressively or poses a significant threat to native ecosystems. As with other members of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae), all parts of the plant, especially the seeds, contain toxic cardiac glycosides and should be handled with care around children, pets, and livestock. With responsible planting and proper placement, Cascabela thevetioides can be an attractive ornamental tree with minimal ecological risk in Hawaii.

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Other Thevetia species are invasive
  
• Unpalatable to animals
  
• Poisonous to animals and humans
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Seeds dispersed by animals and intentionally by people

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of invasiveness or naturalization
  
• Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
  
• Ornamental
  
• Self-pollination is absent
  
• Requires specialized pollinators (birds and possibly moths)
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively
  
• Fruit and seeds relatively large and unlikely to be accidentally dispersed