Family: Hypericaceae

Origin, Description & Uses:
Pink mempat (Cratoxylum formosum) is a medium to large tropical tree native to Southeast Asia, where it occurs naturally from India and southern China through Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It is valued for its attractive pink to reddish new growth, glossy evergreen leaves, and showy flowers, which make it appealing as an ornamental or shade tree. In its native range, the wood is also used locally for construction, fuel, and tools, and parts of the plant have traditional medicinal and cultural uses. These qualities have led to its cultivation outside its native range in tropical and subtropical regions.

Risks, Threats & Management:
Although pink mempat is not currently known to be naturalized in Hawaiʻi, it possesses traits that warrant caution. The species is adapted to warm, wet tropical climates similar to those found across the islands and can grow rapidly once established. In other regions, members of this genus are known to regenerate well and tolerate disturbance, traits that can increase the risk of escape from cultivation. Further evaluation is needed to determine whether Cratoxylum formosum could spread or negatively impact Hawaiʻi’s native forests and ecosystems. Until more information is available, careful management and consideration of low-risk or native alternatives are recommended to help protect Hawaiʻi’s unique environment.

High Risk Traits:

• Climatically suited to tropics/subtropics
  
• Native to tropical regions
  
• Has thorns
  
• Shade tolerant
  
• Tolerates varied soils
  
• Produces viable, wind-dispersed seeds
  
• Intentionally spread by humans
  
• Fire-tolerant

Low Risk Traits:

• Not weedy
  
• No evidence of invasion or toxicity
  
• Palatable to animals
  
• Not allelopathic, parasitic, or a fire hazard
  
• Not a climber or thicket-former
  
• No evidence of prolific seed production or seed bank