Family: Malpighiaceae

Hiptage benghalensis, commonly known as hiptage, is a vigorous woody vine native to tropical Asia. It is often grown as an ornamental because of its showy, fragrant flowers, which are typically white to pale pink with yellow markings and arranged in hanging clusters. The plant has glossy green leaves and produces distinctive winged seeds that help it spread by wind. In landscapes, hiptage has been valued for its fast growth, dense foliage, and ability to cover fences, trellises, and arbors, making it a popular choice in gardens where a lush, flowering climber is desired.

In Hawaiʻi, however, hiptage poses a significant environmental risk. It is naturalized on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu and has also been detected on Hawaiʻi Island, where it may still be an eradication target. Hiptage grows rapidly and can smother native vegetation by forming thick mats that block sunlight and weigh down trees and shrubs. Its ability to produce large numbers of wind-dispersed seeds makes it especially difficult to control once established. If left unmanaged, hiptage can spread into natural areas, threatening native forests and the unique plants and ecosystems they support.

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized beyond native range (e.g., Hawaii, Florida, Queensland)
  
• Environmental weed – invasive, smothers native vegetation
  
• Climbing/smothering liana – forms dense thickets
  
• Self-compatible
  
• Wind and water-dispersed seeds
  
• Tolerates pruning/mutilation
  
• Repeatedly introduced as ornamental/medicinal plant

Low Risk Traits:

• Not toxic, allelopathic, or parasitic
  
• Low seed production (few seeds per fruit)
  
• Herbicide-sensitive