Research directed by C. Daehler (UH Botany) with funding from the Kaulunani Urban Forestry Program and US Forest Service

Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment

Chlorophytum comosum; spiderplant

Answer

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=-1, n=-1

y

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=-1, n=-1

n

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

See Append 2

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

2

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

y=1, n=0

n

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2

?=-1, n=0

y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

y

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

y

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

n

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

n

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

n

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

y

4.1

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

y

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

n

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

n

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

y

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

y

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

n

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

y

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

1

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

n

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

y

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

8

Source

Notes

1.01

no evidence

1.02

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Chlorophytum+comosum (09 October 2003)

naturalized elsewhere

1.03

no evidence

2.01

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Chlorophytum+comosum (09 October 2003) (2)http://www.islapro.com/ecologia/generes/chlorophytum.html

(1)Distributional range:
Native:
Africa: Cameroon; Cote D'Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mozambique; Nigeria; Sierra Leone; South Africa - Cape Province, Natal, Transvaal; Swaziland; Tanzania; Uganda; Zaire; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Other: naturalized elsewhere (2)native to tropical and southern Africa

2.02

2.03

(1) Horticopia A-Z.Horticopia, Inc., Purcellville, VA. ISBN 1-887215-07-7. (2) http://www.gov.edmonton.ab.ca/comm_services/city_op_attractions/muttart/fact_sheets/Spider%20Plant.pdf (3)http://www.greendealer-exotic-seeds.com/seeds/SpiderPlant.html (4)http://www.bachmans.com/tipsheets/indoor_plants/SpiderPlants_print.cfm (5)http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Liliaceae/Chlorophytum_comosum.html

(1) Hardiness Range 9B to 11 (2) TEMPERATURE: Normally warm room temperatures are ideal. temperatures lower than 7°C and prefer to be well above 10°C. (3)Maintain temperatures of no lower than 50°F. at night nor higher than 75°F during the day (4)moist woodlands (5)Coastal areas

2.04

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Chlorophytum+comosum (09 October 2003) (2)http://www.islapro.com/ecologia/generes/chlorophytum.html

(1)Distributional range:
Native:
Africa: Cameroon; Cote D'Ivoire; Equatorial Guinea; Ethiopia; Kenya; Liberia; Malawi; Mozambique; Nigeria; Sierra Leone; South Africa - Cape Province, Natal, Transvaal; Swaziland; Tanzania; Uganda; Zaire; Zambia; Zimbabwe
Other:  naturalized elsewhere (2)native to tropical and southern Africa

2.05

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

"widely cultivated in subtropical and tropical areas"

3.01

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl?Chlorophytum+comosum (09 October 2003)

naturalized elsewhere

3.02

no evidence

3.03

no evidence

3.04

(1)Bushland Weeds of the Blue Mountains Region http://www.zipworld.com.au/~aabr/info/weed_lists/weed02.html Bushland Weeds of the Blue Mountains Region (2)Randall, R. 2001. Garden thugs, a national list of invasive and potentially invasive garden plants. Plant Protection Quarterly 16:138-171. (3)http://hort.ufl.edu/shrubs/CHLCOMA.PDF (4)http://www.loretonh.nsw.edu.au/Grounds/1997_NTR_Plan.htm

(1) on a list of weed in Blue Mountain City of Australia (2)weed of Queensland and New South Wales (3)Invasive potential: aggressive, spreading plant (4)Primary work commenced in an area on lower side of track from Osborn road...This is the first time weed removal has taken place on this site.... Chlorophytum comosum….were removed by hand [allocating resources to control]

3.05

no evidence

4.01

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

no description of these traits

4.02

no evidence

4.03

no evidence

4.04

http://search.centralpets.com/phpscripts/search/storiesdisplay.php?Story=455

leaves, flowers edible

4.05

no evidence

4.06

no evidence

4.07

http://lancaster.unl.edu/factsheets/031.pdf

Spider Plant, Airplane Plant—(Chlorophytum comosum) non-toxic.

4.08

no evidence

4.09

Horticopia A-Z.Horticopia, Inc., Purcellville, VA. ISBN 1-887215-07-7.

Exposure Full shade to partial sun

4.1

Horticopia A-Z.Horticopia, Inc., Purcellville, VA. ISBN 1-887215-07-8.

4.11

herb

4.12

no evidence

5.01

terrestrial

5.02

herb; Liliaceae

5.03

herb

5.04

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

Herb, rosette forming, from a tuberous rhizome

6.01

no evidence

6.02

Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. p.161

propagation: seeds, offsets, or division

6.03

no evidence

6.04

no evidence

6.05

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

"flowers several, borne in clusters, each cluster in the axil of a bract in a raceme 15-35 cm long that often havea leafy shoot near the end. Corolla of six free elliptic to oblong tepals 7-12 mm long, white, sometimes fading to pink"

6.06

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

"with plantlets on the dropping inflorescences rooting where they touch the ground"

6.07

http://www.greendealer-exotic-seeds.com/seeds/SpiderPlant.html

The specimen shown above were photographed at my home in Louisville, Kentucky on December 2, 1998 and again (right) in June of 2000. It was only one year old in photo at left and was propagated from a plantlet like the one cascading downward in the foreground. This specimen had only one little white flower a few inches back from the end of the stem. As the plant has matured 1 1/2 years later, there are now hundreds of these tiny white flowers appearing all along a multitude of arching stems with scores of new plantlets dangling all around the parent plant. [less than one year for viviparous offsets but take longer to flower]

7.01

no evidence

7.02

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

"widely cultivated in subtropical and tropical areas"

7.03

no evidence

7.04

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

Fruit a leathery capsule, deeply three-lobed, wider than long.

7.05

seed pods might float down streams

7.06

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122

Fruit a leathery capsule, deeply three-lobed, wider than long.

7.07

no means of attachment

7.08

no evidence of being ingested

8.01

(1)Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.122 (2)http://www.arhomeandgarden.org/plantoftheweek/articles/Spider_Plant-Airplane_Plant.asp

(1)Fruit a leathery capsule, deeply three-lobed, wider than long. (2)Flower scapes are produced in the summer with plantlets forming on those stems as the days get shorter in the fall. [does not usually produce seeds]

8.02

no evidence

8.03

no evidence

8.04

Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. p.161

propagation: seeds, offsets, or division [probably yes, with rhizome and propagate vegetatively]

8.05

Problems include spider mites and mealy bugs.
Plants are susceptible to root rot in poorly drained soils.