Family: Rutaceae

Clausena lansium, commonly known as wampi or Chinese clausena, is a small evergreen tree native to southern China and parts of Southeast Asia. It belongs to the citrus family (Rutaceae) and produces clusters of round, yellow to brown fruits with a sweet-tart flavor. The fruit is eaten fresh, preserved, or used in candies, beverages, and traditional dishes, while the leaves and bark have a history of use in traditional medicine. Wampi trees are also grown as ornamentals and fruit trees in home gardens due to their compact size, glossy foliage, and attractive fruit.

In Hawaiʻi, wampi is primarily cultivated and is not currently considered an invasive threat. However, like many fruiting trees, it has the potential to spread from cultivation if seeds are dispersed by birds or other animals. At present, there is limited evidence of significant naturalization or ecological impact, but continued monitoring is recommended. Practicing pono planting—such as managing seedlings, disposing of fruit properly, and avoiding planting near natural areas—can help reduce the risk of unintended spread.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad tropical/subtropical climate suitability
  
• Tolerates wide soil range (sand, limestone, loam)
  
• Produces viable, bird- & bat-dispersed seeds
  
• Seeds survive gut passage
  
• Widely intentionally introduced
  
• Host for citrus canker & papaya fruit fly
  
• Long-lived perennial tree
  
• Congeneric species (C. excavata) is invasive

Low Risk Traits:

• Not naturalized or weedy
  
• No spines/thorns/burrs
  
• Non-toxic to humans/animals
  
• Not a fire hazard
  
• Not parasitic or allelopathic
  
• Not a shade-tolerant plant
  
• No dense thicket formation
  
• Not an agricultural/environmental weed
  
• No unintentional dispersal reported