Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Kalanchoe beharensis


RISK ASSESSMENT RESULTS: Evaluate, score: 4


Australian/New Zealand Weed Risk Assessment adapted for Hawai‘i.

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

Kalanchoe beharensis (velvet leaf, velvet elephant ear, felt plant, felt-bush)

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

n

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

n

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

n

3.05

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

n=0

y

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

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

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

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

n

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

3

7.01

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

y=1, n=-1

y

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

y

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

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

n

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

y

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:

4

Supporting data:

Source

Notes

1.01

No evidence

1.02

No evidence

1.03

No evidence

2.01

It is a native to Madagascar.

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week074.shtml

2.02

2.03

(1)USDA: 10 (2)Hardiness:
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8° C (25° F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1°C (30° F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7° C (35° F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5° C (40° F) (3)Specimens in natiive range occur below 300 m, Xerophytic

(1)http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Crassulaceae/Kalanchoe_beharensis.html (2)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/58069/ (3)http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_vast

2.04

It is a native to Madagascar.

http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week074.shtml

2.05

(1)Introduced to Africa. (2)Florida (3) California (4)New Zealand

(1)http://www.up.ac.za/academic/botany/garden/species/95.html (2)Horticopia CD-ROM database. (3)http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_vast (4)http://www.rainbowgardencentre.co.nz/pages/crassula_kalanchoe_JPG.htm

3.01

No evidence

3.02

No evidence

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

Kalanchoe pinnata was suggested as an invasive plant in Australia (1) and Florida (2) and subjected to control trials using herbicides.

(1) http://nb.au.com/nswweedsoc/July2000/4_TravelReport.htm (2) http://www.fleppc.org/pdf/trtguide.pdf

4.01

"Named structures, such as spines and thorns (Grubb, 1992), refer to defences that humans can detect. Most of those that we have looked at (with an EDX elemental probe in a scanning electron microscope) contain silica, including those on Alluaudia procera (Drake) Drake (Didiereaceae), Aloe divaricata A. Berger (Liliaceae), Acacia bellula Drake (Mimosaceae), Pachypodium rutenbergianum Vatke (Apocynaceae), Kalanchoe beharensis Drake (Crassulaceae) and Commiphora simplicifolia H. Perrier (Burseraceae) collected at Beza Mahafaly Reserve in the spiny dry forest of S.W. Madagascar." [probablly refers to hairs]

http://aob.oupjournals.org/cgi/reprint/86/5/913.pdf

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

Don’t know

4.05

No evidence

4.06

No evidence

4.07

No evidence

4.08

Evergreen (2) Succulent plant

(1)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/58069/ (2)http://www.horticopia.com/hortpix/html/pc3205.htm

4.09

(1)Kalanchoe beharensis need full sun to part shade with intermediate to warm temperatures. (2)Sun Exposure: Full sun to shade (3)Sun Exposure: Full Sun (4)Full sun to full shade. Shade will keep it mostly gray/green, while full sun will bring out the cinnamon colored brown "velvet" that it is known for.

(1)http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week074.shtml (2)http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Crassulaceae/Kalanchoe_beharensis.html (3)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/58069/ (4)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2370

4.1

(1)Soil pH requirements:
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) (2)Soil Condition Loamy, sandy, neutral, tolerates salt, drought tolerant (3)fertile soil (4)can thrive in the high alkaline soils (5)They thrive in nutrient poor soils

(1)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/58069/ (2)Horticopia CD-ROM database. (3)http://www.rainbowgardencentre.co.nz/pages/crassula_kalanchoe_JPG.htm (4)http://www.abc.net.au/gardening/stories/s1069759.htm (5)http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week074.shtml

4.11

Not a climber.

Horticopia CD-ROM database.

4.12

No evidence

5.01

Kalanchoe beharensis and B. pinnatum are tall and vigourous shrubs.

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/6400/kalanchoe/kinfo.html

5.02

Crassulaceae

5.03

Crassulaceae

5.04

No evidence

6.01

No evidence

6.02

Propagation: Stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, layering, seeds

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Crassulaceae/Kalanchoe_beharensis.html

6.03

(1)Hybrid between K. beharensis & K. tomentosa (2) hybrid of K. beharensis x pilosa (3)A hybrid between K. beharensis and K. milotii. [don't know if they forms naturally]

(1)http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/6400/kalanchoe/kbeharen.html (2)http://www.glasshouseworks.com/succ-k.html (3)http://www.bobsmoleys.com/h-l.html

6.04

No evidence

6.05

unspecialized greenish-yellow flowers [insect pollination syndrome]

http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/images/kal_beh_cu.jpg

6.06

Fallen leaves will root and produce new plants

)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2370

6.07

(1)Blooming Time: Our specimen has never bloomed in the 8 years we have been growing it. (2)Shrub 2-3 m tall at maturity (3)a relatively fast growing Kalanchoe (4)A plant with CAM photosynthesis (slow growth) [minimum estimate for a large succulent woody xerophyte shrub; but may well be 4+years]

(1)http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week074.shtml (2)http://mobot.mobot.org/cgi-bin/search_vast (3)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2370 (4)http://www.jxb.oupjournals.org/cgi/content/full/53/369/569

7.01

can easily propagate itself through leaf cuttings and other garden waste. (5)Fallen leaves will root and produce new plants

(1)http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week074.shtml (2)http://www.manntaylor.com/plantweek49d.html (3)http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Crassulaceae/Kalanchoe_beharensis.html (4)http://www.manntaylor.com/propagation.jpg (5)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/2370

7.02

Probably yes: Attributes and Features - Attractive foliage - Container - Rock garden - Specimen

Horticopia CD-ROM database.

7.03

no evidence that the propagules have any means of attachment.

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/6400/kalanchoe/kinfo.html

7.04

'Since Kalanchoe/Bryophyllum seeds are almost dust like, I reckon it is necessery to sow these dust-like seeds on a medium that does not dry out rapidly.' 'Kalanchoe beharensis and B. pinnatum are tall and vigourous shrubs.' [implies wind dispersal]

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/6400/kalanchoe/kinfo.html

7.05

no evidence that the species inhabits waterways.

7.06

minute dust like seeds

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/6400/kalanchoe/kinfo.html

7.07

no evidence the propagules have any means of attachment.

7.08

No evidence regarding ingestion of fruits/seeds.

8.01

'Since Kalanchoe/Bryophyllum seeds are almost dust like, I reckon it is necessery to sow these dust-like seeds on a medium that does not dry out rapidly.'

http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Canopy/6400/kalanchoe/kinfo.html

8.02

No evidence regarding seed bank; dust-like seeds

8.03

No evidence that the species is being controlled for.

8.04

the plant can regenerate from broken off leaves too.

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Crassulaceae/Kalanchoe_beharensis.html

8.05

Don’t know


Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER!


[ Return to PIER homepage ] [Risk assessment page]


This page new 10 February 2005