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

Polyscias fruticosa (Panax fruticosum, Ming Aralia)

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

1

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

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

y

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

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

n

6.07

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

See left

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

n

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

y

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

y

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:

-1

Notes

Source

1.01

No evidence

1.02

No evidence

1.03

No evidence

2.01

(1) Native Habitat: India to Polynesia, (2) Distributional range: widely cult. in tropical Asia, origin obscure

(1) Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database. (2) 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/taxon.pl?102563 (07 October 2003)

2.02

(1) Introduced to the U.S. (Florida, California and Arizona) (2) Distributional range: widely cult. in tropical Asia, origin obscure (3) p. 375 " probably native to somewhere in Malaaysia but is widely cultivated for its foliage and as hedge plant."

(1) Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database. (2) 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/taxon.pl?102563 (07 October 2003) (3) Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.375

2.03

(1)Hardiness Range 10A to 11 (2)Requires consistently moist soil, suitable for bogs and water gardens (3)Mist leaves frequently, especially in hot weather.

(1)Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database. (2)http://plantsdatabase.com/go/54631/ (3)http://www.gflora.com/aralia/Polyscias.htm

2.04

(1) Native Habitat: India to Polynesia, (2) Distributional range: widely cult. in tropical Asia, origin obscure

(1) Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database. (2) 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/taxon.pl?102563 (07 October 2003)

2.05

Introduced to the U.S. (Florida, California and Arizona)

Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database.

3.01

No evidence of naturalization

3.02

No evidence

3.03

No evidence

3.04

No evidence

3.05

No evidence

4.01

Trunk has no thorns

Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database.

4.02

No evidence

4.03

No evidence

4.04

(1)while "living edible pens" for poultry and pigs are made of these same species, plus others such as Hibiscus tiliaceus and Polyscias spp., all of which are easily pruned or pollarded to provide fodder. (2)Polyscias spp. Used as fodder

(1)http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E0h.htm (2)http://www.uog.edu/cals/PEOPLE/Pubs/Agrofors/Multspec.pdf

4.05

while "living edible pens" for poultry and pigs are made of these same species, plus others such as Hibiscus tiliaceus and Polyscias spp., all of which are easily pruned or pollarded to provide fodder.

http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E0h.htm

4.06

(1)Alternaria panax. AB: A. panax is newly reported on Polyscias fruticosa, causing severe leaf spotting and subsequent defoliation in Fla. foliage plant nurseries. It also causes a serious leaf spot disease of Brassaia actinophylla and Schefflera arboricola. (2)Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (a generalist pathogen) (3)schefflera ringspot badnavirus (SRV) AB: A previously undescribed badnavirus, named schefflera ringspot badnavirus (SRV), was found in scheffleras (Brassaia actinophylla and Schefflera arboricola ) and aralias (Polyscias balfouriana , P. balfouriana cv. Marginata , P. fruticosa and P. guilfoylei ) in Australia, Barbados, Cuba, Mauritius, Honduras, Taiwan, Thailand and the USA. SRV infection caused leaf mottling and chlorotic and necrotic ringspots in schefflera and was associated with chlorotic spotting, vein-clearing and reduction of leaf size in aralia. [Both (1) and (3) cause economic damage to nursery industry, and with limited host range (within Araliaceae) ]

(1)ET: A foliar blight of Ming aralia caused by Alternaria panax.
AU: Atilano, R. A.
SO: Plant Disease, 1983, Vol.67, No.2, pp.224-226, 7 ref. (2)ET: Anthracnose disease of spider lily. AU: Korade, B. B.; Pawar, D. R.; Joshi, M. S. SO: Journal of Maharashtra Agricultural Universities, 2001, Vol.26, No.1, pp.70-71, 3 ref. (3)Schefflera ringspot virus, a widely distributed mealybug-transmitted badnavirus occurring in Schefflera and Aralia . AU: Lockhart, B. E. L.; Olszewski, N. E.
ED: Loebenstein, G.; Hammond, J.; Gera, A.; Derks, A. F. L. M.; Zaayen, A. van
SO: Acta Horticulturae, 1996, No.432, pp.196-202, 10 ref.

4.07

No evidence

4.08

Probably not - no evidence of being deciduous or inhabiting dry areas.

4.09

(1)Exposure Full shade to full sun (2)Ming aralias are grown in 80 percent shade

(1)Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database (2)http://www.rhapisgardens.com/ming-aralias/

4.1

Soil Condition Loamy, sandy, clay, acidic, neutral, slightly alkaline, tolerates salt, drought tolerant, tolerates wetness

(1)Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database.

4.11

Not a vine. A shrub.

Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database.

4.12

No evidence

5.01

Terrestrial

5.02

An evergreen shrub.

Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database.

5.03

Arailiaceae

5.04

Ginseng family

6.01

No evidence

6.02

usually propagated by cuttings, but seeds were once sold by seed vender in Hawaii

http://www.ntsl.fs.fed.us/Commercial%20Suppliers%20of%20Tree%20and%20Shrub%20Seed.pdf

6.03

No evidence

6.04

No evidence

6.05

"flowers in umbels of 8 to 40, arranged in terminal panicles. Corolla of five free, tiny, white, inconspicuous petals." [no indication of specialized pollination syndrome]

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.375

6.06

No evidence

6.07

"I have mine for 8 years and never saw it blooming"

http://plantsdatabase.com/go/54631/

7.01

No evidence

7.02

'Ming Aralia is well suited for the container placed indoors or out. Its fine texture gives it a grace and elegance unmatched by other, small tropical plants.'

Horticopia A to Z.. CD-ROM database.

7.03

No evidence

7.04

"Fruit a subglobose drupe 4-5 mm long"

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.375

7.05

Fruit a subglobose drupe 4-5 mm long

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.375

7.06

"Fruit a subglobose drupe 4-5 mm long"

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.375

7.07

No evidence of attaching structure

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.375

7.08

bird-dispersed

8.01

Propagated by cuttings [seeds extremely rare]

Whistler, A.W. (2000) Tropical Oramentals: a Guide. Timber Press, Inc., Portland, Oregon. 542pp. p.375

8.02

No evidence regarding seed longevity.

8.03

No evidence that the species is being controlled for.

8.04

while "living edible pens" for poultry and pigs are made of these same species, plus others such as Hibiscus tiliaceus and Polyscias spp., all of which are easily pruned or pollarded to provide fodder.

http://www.unu.edu/unupress/unupbooks/80824e/80824E0h.htm

8.05

Don’t know