Family: Muntingiaceae
Muntingia calabura (Jamaican cherry) is a small tree or shrub native to tropical regions of the Americas, including parts of Central and South America. It is reported to be widely cultivated and naturalized throughout the tropics and is as “potentially naturalizing” in the Hawaiian Islands on Kauai and Oahu. Although it is grown and valued for its edible fruit, it is also regarded as a disturbance weed in several locations worldwide due to its ability to prolifically self-seed, spread by birds and other animals, and form dense thickets that may exclude desirable vegetation.
High Risk Traits:
- Thrives and spreads in regions with tropical climates
- “Potentially naturalizing” on Kauai and Oahu (Hawaiian Islands) and widely naturalized in the wet tropics
- A disturbance adapted weed, rapidly invading light gaps and potentially impacting other desirable vegetation
- Regarded as a minor environmental weed on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean) and an environmental weed of unspecified impacts in Australia
- Potentially allelopathic
- Alternate host of fruit flies and other plant pests
- Tolerates many soil types
- Capable of forming dense thickets
- Reproduces by seed
- Self-compatible
- Able to reach reproductive maturity in 1.5 to 2 years
- Seeds dispersed by birds, other fruit eating animals, water, and both accidentally as a produce contaminant and through intentional cultivation.
- Prolific seed production
- Reported to form a persistent seed bank (longevity unspecified)
- Able to coppice and resprout repeatedly following cutting
Low Risk Traits:
- Cultivated and valued as a fruit tree
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable and used as a fodder plant
- Non-toxic
- Seedlings are highly shade intolerant (dense shade may inhibit spread)
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Herbicides may provide effective control
