Appearance

Growth form

A climbing shrub with hooked prickles that catch on nearby plants and clothing.

Leaves

Each leaf is divided twice into many small leaflets.

Flowers

Clusters of yellow flowers have one petal often marked with red.

Fruit

The flat pods split open when mature.

Look-alikes

golden raintreeKoelreuteria paniculata

Both can carry showy yellow flower clusters. Golden raintree is an upright tree with papery, inflated seed capsules; Mysore thorn climbs with hooked prickles and makes flat pods.

Why they get mixed up · Both have divided leaves and yellow flower clusters.

Where it lives

Typical habitats

• roadsides
• disturbed ground

Range

It is native to Asia and has become naturalized across the Hawaiian Islands. A weed risk assessment in Hawaii rates it high risk.

Name and classification

About the name

This plant was formerly called Caesalpinia decapetala. Mysore thorn is also called cat’s claw.

Conservation

IUCN Red List

LCLeast Concern·Low risk of extinction