Aptenia cordifolia (L.f.) Schwant., Aizoaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Low risk (based on second screen), score: 5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: baby sun rose, dew plant, heartleaf iceplant, hearts-and-flowers, red apple

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Stems: prostrate, 12-18 in (3-6 dm), nodes widely spaced, base of stems woody.  Leaf: 0.4-1.2 in (1-3 cm), petioled, cordate, minutely papillate.  Inflorescence: flower solitary, axillary; peduncle 0.25-0.6 in (8-15 mm). Flower: hypanthium 0.2 in (6-7 mm); sepals, four of unequal size ±0.2 in (5 mm), the largest flat, the others awl-shaped; petals numerous 0.2 in (3 mm), ovary inferior.  Fruit: 13-15 mm four locular capsule" (Hickman, 1993, cited in Bossard et al,, 2000; pp. 46-48).

Habitat/ecology:  "In California, red apple is found in disturbed places and on margins of coastal wetlands, usually less than 100 feet (30 m) elevation. It can tolerate some soil salinity and grows well in dryish, frost-free or almost frost free areas in full sun.  When watered, red apple overwhelms all neighboring vegetation, climbing over anything in its path."  (Bossard et al,, 2000; pp. 46-48). In New Zealand, "coastal rocky sites, sometimes in sand" (Webb et al., 1988; p. 93).

Propagation:  "It is known to spread vegetatively by rooting of branches. Seeds grow well in sandy, well drained soil and germinate at 60-65 degrees F. More information is needed on seed viability and potential for seed dispersal." (Bossard et al,, 2000; pp. 46-48).

Native range:  "Native to the eastern coastal region of the Cape Province and Kruger National Park in the Transvaal, both in South Africa" (Bossard et al,, 2000; pp. 46-48).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) Observed in survey, no herbarium record.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy (2010) (p. 11)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawaiian Islands	introduced cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (pp. 96-97)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2012) (p. 49) Voucher cited: T. Flynn & R. Culbertson 7110 (BISH) Persisting in a yard waste dump site.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 10) Voucher cited: MacKee 42334

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. (1988) (p. 93)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced invasive cultivated	Bossard, Carla C./Randall, John M./Hoshovsky, Marc C., eds. (2000) (p. 47)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive cultivated	Bossard, Carla C./Randall, John M./Hoshovsky, Marc C., eds. (2000) (p. 47)

Comments:  A minor weed in New Zealand per Melanie Newfield, pers. com. Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station.

Control: 

Physical:  "Red apple can be easily removed by hand pulling.  However, because of the ability of this plant to grow roots and shoots from any node, all live shoot segments must be removed from contact with the soil to prevent resprouting.  If complete removal is not possible, mulching with the removed plant material is adequate to prevent most resprouting, but requires at least one follow-up treatment to remove resprouts"

Chemical:  "The herbicide gylphosate (as Roundup®) has been effectively used to kill related sea fig clones at label-recommended concentrations of 2 percent or higher.  The addition of 1 percent surfactant to allow penetration of the cuticle on the leaves should improve effectiveness"  (Bossard et al,, 2000; pp. 46-48).

Additional information:
Additional online information about Aptenia cordifolia is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Aptenia cordifolia as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Aptenia cordifolia may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Bossard, Carla C./Randall, John M./Hoshovsky, Marc C., eds. 2000. Invasive plants of California's wildlands. University of California Press. 360 pp.

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex. 2012. New plant records for the Hawaiian Islands 2010-2011. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2011. Part II: Plants. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 113:27-54.

Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy. 2010. Checklist of the plants of Kosrae. Unpublished checklist. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 26 pp.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. 2005. A tropical garden flora: plants cultivated in the Hawaiian Islands and other tropical places. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 908 pp.

Webb, C. J./Sykes, W. R./Garnock-Jones, P. J. 1988. Flora of New Zealand, Volume IV: Naturalised pteridophytes, gymnosperms, dicotyledons. Botany Division, DSIR, Christchurch. 1365 pp.