Pest Plants: Garden Aliens Running Amuck!

Some introduced plants escape from their gardens and yards to become dangerous invader aliens.

Lantana

Scientific name: Lantana camara
Also known as: Lakana
Native to: Mexico
Introduced to Hawai‘i : 1958

Impact on environment:

Introduced to Hawai‘i as an ornamental plant, lantana spread quickly to form a tangle of prickly branches. Lantana leaves are toxic to grazing animals and may cause skin problems for humans. The fruit can be poisonous to children and pets. In recent years, attractive varieties of lantana have again become popular plants.

Christmas Berry

Scientific name: Schinus terebinthifolius
Also known as: Wilelaiki
Native to: Brazil
Introduced to Hawai‘i : Before 1911

Impact on environment:

The Christmas berry is a shade tree and its bright red berries are used in making lei and floral arrangements. But this tree is an invasive weed that covers large areas in southern Florida; it could do the same in Hawai‘i .

Schefflera

Scientific name: Schefflera actinophylla
Also known as: Brassia, Octopus Tree, Umbrella Tree
Native to: New Guinea, northern Australia
Introduced to Hawai‘i : Before 1916

Impact on environment:

Widely planted as a shade tree, schefflera has become one of the worst weed trees, especially in moist forest regions. Recently, the red flower bud clusters have become a popular lei material; they are called he'e, the Hawaiian name for octopus.

Fiddlewood

Scientific name: Citharexylum spinosum
Native to: The Caribbean and northern South America
Introduced to Hawai‘i : Before 1937

Impact on environment:

Planted along streets or in yards as shade trees, the fiddlewood found in Hawai‘i is rapidly spreading into drier, low elevations areas on O‘ahu.

Guava

Scientific name: Psidium guajava
Also known as: Kuawa
Native to: Tropical America
Introduced to Hawai‘i : Early 1800s

Impact on environment:

Guava is a tree with delicious fruit. It is also a stubborn weed that can become a dense barricade in forest areas.

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