Family: Fabaceae

Brya ebenus, also known as cocoswood, Jamaican raintree, or ebony cocuwood, is a small, slow-growing tree native to Cuba. It features a dense, rounded crown and produces striking bright yellow flowers that often appear after rain, giving it the common name “raintree.” Highly valued for its exceptionally hard, durable wood, Brya ebenus has long been used in fine woodworking, carving, and musical instruments. Its attractive foliage and reliable flowering also make it a favored ornamental in tropical and subtropical landscapes.

Although Brya ebenus has naturalized in Puerto Rico and possibly elsewhere in the Caribbean, it has not shown signs of becoming invasive in Hawaiʻi. The species spreads slowly and does not readily escape cultivation, and current assessments consider it low risk for invasive behavior. As with all non-native plants, it should still be planted thoughtfully and monitored, but there are no known threats to Hawaiʻi’s native ecosystems at this time.

High Risk Traits:

• Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
  
• Thrives in tropical climates
  
• Naturalized in Puerto Rico, and possibly elsewhere
  
• Spiny
  
• Wood may cause dermatitis
  
• Tolerates many soil types
  
• Reported to form dense stands in native range
  
• Reproduces by seeds
  
• Seed dispersal vectors may be limited (uncertain)
  
• Able to coppice and resprout after cutting
  
• Limited ecological information lowers accuracy of risk prediction

Low Risk Traits:

• No reports of negative environmental impacts in introduced range
  
• Ornamental
  
• May only thrive in high light environments (i.e. full sun)
  
• Not reported to spread vegetatively