Many species that have been introduced to Hawai'i have become invasive. Following are a number of them from the neighborhood.
This is a Coqui Frog, Eleutherodactylus coqui. The Coqui Frog was accidentally introduced here in the late 1980's through shipments of nursery plants from Florida. They are very loud. They like to climb up trees by a window and yell at you!
Here is Melastoma candidum. It was introduced to Hawai'i in the early 1900's for it's beautiful flowers. Regretfully, it invades any environment that is moist, from sea level to 5,000 ft.; it's habitat keeps expanding.
This is Rubus rosifolius, Thimbleberry. This is an Asian native which was introduced to Hawai'i from Jamaica in the 1880's, purposely for it's edible fruit. Introduced birds have spread it everywhere from sea level to about 7,000 ft.
This is Mimosa pudica, Sensitive Plant. It was probably introduced to Hawai'i in the 1850's, either as a curiosity or accidentally with cattle feed. Ironically, it is poisonous to cattle.
This weed makes meter tall thickets of thorned brambles that hang onto you as you walk by; their recurved thorns make you bleed if you try to pull away from them!
This is the famous Laua'e Fern, Microsorium scolopendria. It is so common that it has been erroneously considered a native. It seems to show up in everyone's garden, but won't go away.
Pilau Maile, Paederia foetida, a member of the Coffee Family which fixes it's own Nitrogen. Very persistent, you keep ripping it out and it keeps growing back!
Great list, thanks. Now if I see them I will be able to recognize them. All clear, so far....but I think Kihei is not the typical piece of Hawaiian real estate on the whole because of the rain shadow. Hopefully I never hear those coqui's - I am told that they are deafening!
This is Koster's Curse, Clidemia hirta. A Melastoma relative. It's berries are spread by birds. It is a serious pest in Hawai'i and in the Tropics throughout the world.
The Bamboo Orchid, Arundina graminifolia, is pretty, but if you don't want it in your garden it is a pest. It was introduced as cattle fodder, and has spread from sea level to over 5,000 ft. It can grow to 10 ft. tall; if you cut it down it just makes cuttings and keeps growing!
Nurseries are some of the biggest culprits in spreading invasive species around. This Bedding Begonia (Begonia semperflorens-cultorum) popped up in a potted Palm that I bought from a nursery. It was pretty so I let it grow; now it grows everywhere in my gardens!
I used to have Begonia hirta as a weed here, but this Begonia took over and displaced it.
And I second the emotion!!!!!
That bigonia (there is a white and a pink) is EVERYwhere... luckily guests think I cleverly planted it...and they don't know I rip it out and it grows back. Even the MOST invasive stuff, like Pilea microphylla - sp? - is sold as a house plant some places and I spend hours with herbicides and find clorox does a good job too!!! ARGH! It is the same feeling as 'please, keep your pets at home".
I sit here typing with those nmad coqui frogs screaming....which have finally invaded us after years of silence...they are dreadful!!! And unless you have nothing to do at night but hunt them with a flashlight...they are always there...and close by. We must have 200 in the area...the noise is almost too much to sleep with...ear plugs are in order!!!! And they are smaller than a 25cent piece.
Dave...don't forget the Little Red Fire Ant, the Cane Toad and...yes...the Cardinal.
I caught a cardinal in my rat trap a couple weeks ago. They regularly try to steal my dog's food.
Don't worry, it is a live trap and I let the little thing go!
One morning, "they" pulled up ALL of my corn shoots...didn't eat them, just pulled them out of the ground. I love them, too....but they are pests and are aggressive in chasing away the native birds who dare to inhabit their forests.... We can also chat about the Stinging Nettle Caterpiller, Strawberry Guava, Ageratum, and mosquitos...all brought here by outsiders!!!!
Here is Ageratum houstonianum. It was brought in by the floral industry in the early 1900's. It now invades wet and dry habitats from sea level to about 6,000 ft.
This is the infamous climbing Sword Fern, Nephrolepis multiflora. It was introduced in the early 1900's and in now everywhere in the Hawaiian Islands. It has even made it to the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and is the only Fern recorded from some of the small Islets and Atolls.
It invades all lowland environments, wet or dry, sunny or shady. It grows to over six ft. tall, and climbs trees!
this is entertaining lol :-) the only invasive thing iv'e noticed here is the wisteria vine ,but everyone here still plants it and it spreads along the freeway ,but i like it lol ,it's beutifull and it looks native lol
is there any invasive palm trees there? ?
This message was edited May 7, 2009 8:31 PM
wow. its amazing how many of these I have!
The worst Palm weed in Hawai'i is the Alexandra Palm, Archontophoenix alexandrae.
Introduced in the early 1900's, it's small red seeds are spread by birds; when they reach waterways the plants choke the banks of a stream and cause flooding.
I have made sure they're are none of these plants close to here, so I don't have a picture.
So that's the name of the fern that comes up all over the garden! Luckily it's easy to pull when it's small - not so easy when it's 2+ feet tall! ^_^
i actually love that palm lol ,its a shame its invasive there but ill take 'em lol
Hey ArchAngel, you are certainly invited to come get them. You can borrow my shovel, pick, and pruning shears.
hahaha Thanx for the offer lol
Unfortunately...lots of palms seed here.... and are VERRRRRRRY hard to kill. Even with a machete!!! But then...they aren't eating anything they shouldn't, they aren't kicking me out of bed. I happen to love the Alexanders, tho they ARE a pest.....
By pests....I think of Maile Pilau....and all of her friends.
WOW,
I thought things grew well here, but HI has me beat.
That bamboo orchid isn't that bad is it? Those 'helpless' begonias would be welcome here.
Thanks for all the info.
Hap
pssssssssssstttttttttttt ............can you send me some seeds? :)
at least we dont have coqui at my house.
I'll share postage with you AA.
Hap
id love it if you could send me some mixxd palm seeds :)
Coming into the summer months I'll have a few species available. Some Pinanga, Ptychosperma, and Phoenix, maybe Areca.
really?
i would love some:)
I'll be sure to let you know when they are ready. Most of my palms are Tropical and will need to be indoors in the winter.
thank you so much!! i'm sure most are tropical but if you could label the hardy varieties id love that
