Parkinsonia aculeata L., Fabaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

Reject, score: 15 (Go to the risk assessment (Australia))
High risk, score: 20 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Barbados flower-fence, horse-bean, jelly bean tree, Jerusalem thorn, Mexican paloverde, parkinsonia, retaima, sessaban

French: arrêtenègre

Spanish: espanillo, espinillo, palo de rayo, palo verde, palo verde mejicano

Habit:  tree

Description:  "A branching spiny glabrous shrub or small tree of irregular habit, from 2 to 8 m high, often forming thickets and reproducing by seed.  Stems slender, often drooping and of zig-zag form.  Leaves shortly stalked, bipinnate, each consisting of 1 to 3 pairs of leaflets with a long flattened prominently ribbed central axis 20 to 40 cm long, 2 to 3 mm wide ending in a short spine and edged on both sides with numerous, oblong secondary leaflets 4 to 10 mm long which, shedding readily, leave a long thin photosynthesizing stalk, each leaf is subtended by a needle-sharp spine 5 to 15 mm long at the node.  Flowers predominantly yellow, fragrant, 2 cm diameter, each on a long slender stalk and borne in groups of 8 to 12 in loose racemes arising from the leaf axils; corolla 5-petalled, bilaterally symmetrical, 4 petals 6 to 15 mm long becoming reflexed, 1 erect, either with orange spots or completely orange.  Fruit a light brown, shortly stalked, sharp pointed pod 3 to 13 cm long, usually 3 to 6 cm, about 7 mm wide, bulging and constricted between the seeds.  Seed:  Olive green to brown, oblong, 9 to 10 mm long, 3 to 4 mm wide.  Root:  A shallow main axis and numerous surface laterals"  (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992; pp. 461-463).

Habitat/ecology:  Tropics on a wide variety of soil types. Thrives in a wide range of climates. "Forms impenetrable thorny thickets that compete with and exclude native species.  A very hardy plant that can withstand long dry spells." (Smith, 2002; p. 21).

In Hawai‘i, "introduced as an ornamental, now naturalized in low elevation, dry, disturbed sites"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 691). In New Caledonia, " localisé mais parfois assez commun dans la région de Boulouparis" (MacKee, 1994p. 75). In the Galápagos Islands, "occasional to common from sea level to about 60 m, in open flats just above high tide, in open scrub forest, among lava blocks, and on old lava flows" (Wiggins & Porter, 1971; p. 608). Native of the arid lowlands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; pp. 62-63).

Propagation:  "Seeds are dispersed by water, and in mud on animals and vehicles.  Seeds are eaten by birds and animals and then expelled. Cultivated around homesteads for shade. Seeds remain viable for many years" (Smith, 2002; p. 21).

Native range:  Southern US, the Caribbean, Mexico and northern South America.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 95)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 53)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 101)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1963) (voucher ID: BISH 155288) Taxon name on voucher: Parkinsonia aculeata Linnaeus
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1963) (voucher ID: BISH 571584) Taxon name on voucher: Parkinsonia aculeata Linnaeus
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 691)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 691)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 691)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 95)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 75) Vouchers cited: Pancher 6775 s.loc., MacKee 27475, Jinakoa in MacKee 43654
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 97)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007) "Recorded from sandy creek beds, stream banks, heavy soils around swamps, dams and bores and from rocky terrain. Often forms dense impenetrable thickets".
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive	Cronk, Q. C. B./Fuller, J. L. (2001) (p. 178)
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007) "A declared noxious weed in N.T. Recorded from sandy creek beds, stream banks, heavy soils around swamps, dams and bores and from rocky terrain. Often forms dense impenetrable thickets".
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Cronk, Q. C. B./Fuller, J. L. (2001) (p. 178)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Australian Biological Resources Study (2007) "Recorded from sandy creek beds, stream banks, heavy soils around swamps, dams and bores and from rocky terrain. Often forms dense impenetrable thickets".
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced	ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre (2005)

Control: 

Physical: "Mechanical removal by bulldozing, pulling with a tractor or grubbing gives effective control, especially where subsequent seedling growth can be controlled..." (Parsons and Cuthbertson, 1992; pp. 461-463).

Chemical: "Good control of mature trees also is possible with herbicides, basal bark or cut stump treatments usually giving better results than an overall spray.  Apply a picloram + 2,4-D mixture or triclopyr in diesel oil, to the basal 75 cm of trunk, completely circling it and thoroughly drenching the bark.  In cut stump treatments swab the whole of the butt with any of the herbicides mentioned as basal bark sprays, immediately after cutting.  Allow the severed aerial growth to dry out and then burn.  Alternatively, apply liquid or granular hexazinone concentrate to the soil surface close to the base of the stems.  This material washed into the soil by subsequent rains slowly kills the shrubs."  (op. cit.)

Biological: Rhinacloa callicrates Herring (Hemiptera: Miridae) introduced into Queensland, Australia; under evaluation (Julien, 1992; p. 52).

Additional information:  Report (PDF format) from US Geological Survey, Biological Resources Division, Haleakala Field Station, Hawaii "Plants of Hawaii".
Fact sheet from the Department of Natural Resources, Queensland, Australia. (PDF format).
Information from the World Agroforestry Centre's AgroForestryTree Database.

Additional online information about Parkinsonia aculeata is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Taxonomic information about Parkinsonia aculeata may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Australian Biological Resources Study. 2007. Flora of Australia Online. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra.

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1963. Voucher specimen #BISH 155288 (Fosberg, F.R. 43478).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1963. Voucher specimen #BISH 571584 (Fosberg, F.R. 43478).

Cronk, Q. C. B./Fuller, J. L. 2001. Plant invaders. Earthscan Publications, Ltd., London. 241 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1979. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian dicotyledonae. Micronesica 15:1-295.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

ILDIS Co-ordinating Centre. 2005. International Legume Database & Information Service. Online searchable database.

Julien, M. H. (ed.). 1992. Biological control of weeds: A world catalogue of agents and their target weeds (third edition). CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 186 pp.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

McMullen, C. K. 1999. Flowering plants of the Galápagos. Comstock Pub. Assoc., Ithaca, N.Y. 370 p.

Parsons, W. T./Cuthbertson, E. G. 1992. Noxious weeds of Australia. Inkata Press, Melbourne/Sydney. 692 pp.

Smith, Nicholas M. 2002. Weeds of the wet/dry tropics of Australia - a field guide. Environment Centre NT, Inc. 112 pp.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).