Family: Acanthaceae

An invasive vine that is extremely hard to control. The conspicuous vine smothers trees, especially on the roadsides north of Hilo, covering them in a blanket of vines dotted with blue flowers. The Java native was first collected on O’ahu in 1937. This aggressive vine quickly escapes cultivation and smothers desirable vegetation, fences, and structures. It has naturalized on Hawaiʻi Island, Kaua’i, Maui, and Oʻahu. The Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources has designated this species as one of “Hawaiʻi’s Most Invasive Horticultural Plants.”

Description and Dispersal:

• A twining, climbing vine with distinct elongated heart shaped leaves (up to 7.5 in long)
  
• White to purple tubular flowers (3 in long) growing in drooping clusters
  
• Spread by seeds, cuttings, stem fragments, or roots

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Maui, and Hawaiʻi
  
• Environmental weed destroying rainforests in Australia
  
• Congeneric species are common weeds
  
• Climbing vine that smothers trees
  
• Shade tolerant (invades forest understory)
  
• Tolerates wide range of soils (sandy, clay, acidic, alkaline, salty)
  
• Reproduces vegetatively via stem/root fragments
  
• Dispersed intentionally as ornamental
  
• Dispersed unintentionally via dumped garden cuttings
  
• Resprouts vigorously from tubers after pruning or damage

Low Risk Traits:

• Lacks spines, thorns, or burrs
  
• Non-parasitic, non-toxic
  
• Low seed production (often fails to set seed)
  
• Seeds not wind-, bird-, or water-dispersed
  
• No evidence of seed survival through animal guts