Family: Rosaceae

Origin, Description & Uses:
Prunus grisea (amongyang) is native to a broad tropical region spanning Vietnam, Central and Southern Malesia, and New Guinea. It is a medium-sized tropical tree in the cherry (Prunus) group, typically found in warm, forested environments. The species produces small fleshy fruits and has an attractive evergreen form, which may make it suitable for ornamental planting and shade in some landscapes. In its native range, it is valued in local settings for its wood and occasionally for its fruit or ecological role within forest systems.

Risks & Threats:
This species is now naturalized on Oʻahu, indicating it is able to persist and reproduce outside of cultivation in Hawaiʻi. While its full ecological impacts are not yet well understood, members of the Prunus group can spread through seed dispersal by birds and other animals, raising the possibility of further expansion. Given its establishment and biological traits, it possesses characteristics that are cause for concern, particularly in sensitive island ecosystems where non-native trees can alter habitat structure and compete with native vegetation. Ongoing evaluation is needed, and caution is recommended to ensure it does not negatively impact Hawaiʻi’s natural ecosystems.

High Risk Traits:

• Congeneric weeds exist (e.g., P. avium, P. serotina)
  
• Toxic to animals (cyanogenic glycosides in leaves/seeds)
  
• Produces viable seed (seedlings observed near parent plants)
  
• Self-compatible (likely no need for cross-pollination)
  
• Bird-dispersed
  
• Seeds survive gut passage

Low Risk Traits:

• Limited naturalization (local, controlled spread in Hawaii)
  
• No weed status reported
  
• No spines, thorns, or climbing habit
  
• No allelopathy or parasitism
  
• Not wind-, water-, or contaminant-dispersed
  
• No vegetative spread
  
• Not a prolific seed producer (large drupes)
  
• No history of repeated introductions (mostly botanical gardens)