Family: Arecaceae
Archontophoenix tuckeri (peach creek palm) is an elegant, fast-growing palm native to northeastern Australia. It features a slender, smooth trunk topped with a crown of graceful, pinnate fronds and produces small, colorful fruit that attracts birds. This species is primarily cultivated as an ornamental for its tropical appearance and striking form. In Hawaii, it is not currently known to be naturalized on any islands.
Although Archontophoenix tuckeri is not naturalized, it exhibits traits—such as rapid growth, seed production, and bird-dispersed fruit—that could potentially allow it to escape cultivation under favorable conditions. Further evaluation is needed to determine whether it could establish in natural areas or impact native ecosystems in Hawaii. For now, planting should be approached with caution, particularly near sensitive habitats.
High Risk Traits:
- Forms dense thickets
- Prolific seed production
- Bird-dispersed fruits
- Self-compatible
- Hybridizes readily
- Shade tolerant
- Congener invasive
Low Risk Traits:
- Not naturalized
- No weed history
- Limited cultivation
- Slow maturing (4+ years)
- No vegetative reproduction
- Large seeds - no hitchhiking
- Not fire-prone
- Not toxic
- No spines/thorns
