Family: Stilbaceae
Origin, Description & Uses:
Halleria lucida (tree fuchsia, African honeysuckle, white olive, notsung) is a small evergreen tree or large shrub native to southern and eastern Africa. It typically grows 10–30 feet tall and is valued for its glossy green leaves and tubular, orange to red flowers that appear directly along the stems. These nectar-rich blooms attract birds and other pollinators, followed by small, fleshy purple fruits. Due to its ornamental appeal and ability to tolerate a range of conditions, Halleria lucida is sometimes planted in gardens, hedges, and restoration plantings, and it has also been used in traditional medicine in its native range.
Risks & Threats:
Although Halleria lucida is not currently known to be naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands, it possesses traits that are cause for concern. Its bird-dispersed fruits, adaptability to different environments, and potential to form dense growth could allow it to spread beyond cultivation and outcompete native vegetation. In tropical island ecosystems like Hawaiʻi, such characteristics increase the risk of ecological disruption, including impacts on native plant communities and wildlife. If intentionally cultivated, it is recommended to choose a low-risk or native alternative to help prevent the introduction of potentially invasive species.
High Risk Traits:
- Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
- Grows in tropical climates
- Naturalized in New Zealand (but no evidence from Hawaiian Islands to date)
- Regarded as weedy, and a potential weed of pasture, in native range
- Shade-tolerant
- Tolerates many soil types
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by suckering
- Reaches reproductive maturity in 2 years
- Seeds dispersed by birds and intentionally by people
- Able to resprout after fires
Low Risk Traits:
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable to browsing animals
- Non-toxic
- Ornamental
- Primarily bird-pollinated (may limit seed set)
