Family: Arecaceae

Origin, Description & Uses
Native to eastern Australia, Livistona australis, commonly known as cabbage tree or cabbage palm, is a tall, elegant palm valued for its slender trunk and large fan-shaped leaves. In its natural habitat it grows in coastal forests, rainforests, and moist valleys, and it is widely planted in tropical and subtropical regions as an ornamental landscape tree. This palm is popular in parks, gardens, streetscapes, and resorts because of its attractive appearance, tolerance of a range of growing conditions, and ability to provide a tropical aesthetic. Historically, the young growing tip was eaten as a vegetable, giving rise to the common name “cabbage palm.”

Risks & Threats
Although Livistona australis is not currently known to be naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands, it does possess traits that are cause for concern. Palms in this genus can produce abundant fruit that may be dispersed by birds and other wildlife, increasing the likelihood of spread beyond planted areas. In suitable moist environments, seedlings may establish and persist, especially where conditions favor palm growth. Because Hawaii provides many favorable habitats for tropical ornamentals, ongoing evaluation is needed to determine whether this species could negatively impact native ecosystems or compete with local vegetation. Caution is recommended to ensure it does not become a future management concern in Hawaii.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized in New Zealand & French Polynesia
  
• Congeneric weed (L. chinensis is invasive elsewhere)
  
• Petioles have sharp, curved spines
  
• Forms dense thickets, suppressing understory
  
• Tolerates wide range of soils
  
• Produces viable seed that germinates readily
  
• Widely planted intentionally by people
  
• Bird-dispersed (currawongs, thrushes, pigeons)
  
• Seeds survive gut passage (flying-foxes, birds)
  
• Broad climate tolerance (temperate to subtropical; frost and drought tolerant)

Low Risk Traits:

• Not an agricultural, forestry, or environmental weed (though naturalized)
  
• No allelopathic, parasitic, or toxic properties
  
• Dioecious (requires male and female plants)
  
• No vegetative reproduction (seed only)
  
• No prolific seed production (>1000/m²)
  
• No persistent seed bank (>1 year)
  
• Palatable to grazing animals (rabbits, etc. — limits spread)