Family: Myrtaceae

A canoe plant, the native origins are obscure due to its long history of cultivation. Indo-Malaysia is the best guess. Called ohi’a ‘ai by the Hawaiians, this was a significant tree. It gave fruit, wood for carving, spiritual offerings, and decorations.

Ohi’a’ai goes by many other common names, including mountain apple and Malay apple. It is cultivated throughout the tropical world.

Ohi’a ‘ai grows up to 60 feet tall. The dark glossy leaves are arranged opposite. A delight to the eye whether in flower or not, Ohi’a ‘ai puts on a spectacular display when in flower. Even more beautiful when they fall to the ground creating a hot pink carpet. The abundant flowers are born off the trunk and in leafless areas of branches. Waxy fruits are pear-shaped and range in length from 2 to 6 inches long. Fruit ranges in color from white to red to magenta. Delicious fruits, they are crisp, juicy, and sweet with a hint of rose. Inside is one large seed.

It’s a fast grower, producing up to 2 crops of fruit a year, and is easy to propagate. Seeds are not true to their parents. Air layering, cuttings, and budding into seedling rootstocks will yield an exact clone of the parent tree. Ohi’a’ai grows well in any soil. Its primary need is constant water.

Ohi’a’ai is a strictly local fruit; quarantine requirements prevent the exportation of this food. It bruises easily when picked raising the cost of harvesting

Plant Uses:

• Cultural significance
• Edible
• Ornamental
• Privacy / screening
• Shade
• Windbreak

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized in multiple introduced regions (Hawaii, Fiji, St. Croix) and has a long history of intentional human dispersal
  
• Congeneric relative (S. cumini) is a highly invasive environmental weed
  
• Shade-tolerant and adaptable to a wide range of soil types (sand to clay)
  
• Produces viable, readily germinating seeds that survive gut passage and are dispersed by birds and fruit bats

Low Risk Traits:

• Not weedy, or considered an agricultural, garden, or environmental weed
  
• Lacks physical defenses (no spines, thorns, burrs) and does not form dense thickets or climb
  
• Non-toxic to humans and animals; not allelopathic and not a host for major pests or pathogens
  
• Does not create fire hazards, reproduce vegetatively, or hybridize naturally
  
• Seeds are large, not adapted for wind, water, or external animal dispersal, and do not form a persistent seed bank (viability is short)
  
• Long generation time (7–8 years to flower) and sensitive to heavy pruning and fire