Family: Myrtaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Thrives in tropical climates
- Naturalized on Oahu, Hawaiian Islands
- Other Syzygium and Eugenia species are invasive
- Shade-tolerant
- Tolerates many soil types
- Forming thickets where naturalized in Hawaiian Islands, and forms dominant cover in coastal forests within native range
- Reproduces by seeds
- Seeds dispersed by birds, other frugivorous animals, by water and intentionally by people
- Coppices when young; coppicing ability declines with age
- Gaps in biological and ecological information reduce accuracy of risk prediction
Low Risk Traits:
- No reports of negative impacts in native or introduced range
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Non-toxic
- Fire-resistant; planted as a fire break
- Not reported to spread vegetatively
- Seeds recalcitrant, lose viability rapidly and will not form a persistent seed bank