Ardisia crenata Sims, Primulaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 10 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: zhu sha gen

English: Australian holly, Hilo holly, coral ardisia, coral berry, coralberry-tree, coralbush, hen's eyes, scratchthroat, spiceberry

French: arbre à noél, baie corail, bois de noél

Habit:  shrub

Description:  "Small erect shrubs up to 1.5 m tall, unbranched except for flowering branches, glabrous throughout. Leaves alternate, coriaceous or chartaceous, elliptic-lanceolate or oblanceolate, 6-20 cm long, 1-4 cm wide, with 12-18 pairs of lateral nerves, the nerves slightly raised on lower surface, merging into a usually distinct marginal nerve, this often hidden beneath the revolute margins, margins revolute, crisped, and also usually undulate, apex acute to acuminate, base cuneate, petioles 6-10 mm long. Flowering branches lateral or axillary, up to 10 (-16) cm long, with few leaves, inflorescences simple and umbellate or cymose, principal rays 2-4 cm long, pedicels 0.5-1 cm long, elongating in fruit; sepals oblong-ovate to lanceolate, ca. 1.5 mm long, glabrous, sparsely glandular punctate; corolla lobes white or pinkish, ovate, glandular punctate. Drupes dark red, globose, 5-8 mm in diameter, glandular punctate" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 932).

Habitat/ecology:  "Forest, tropical hammocks, riverbanks.  In the native range, the shrub is commonly found in closed forests, valleys, and dark damp lplaces from 100-2,400 m elevation.  Where invasive, it becomes dominant in the understorey and forms dense stands with more than 100 plants per square meter, reducing light and native species richness, and preventing the growth of native tree seedlings.  Mature plants are often surrounded by a dense cover of their own seedlings.  The plant grows best in moist soils and vigorously resprouts after cutting or fire"  (Weber, 2003; p. 53).  "Prefers rich, well-drained soils in a partially shaded position" (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 94).  Moist forest and open areas.

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in disturbed mesic valleys and forest" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 932).

Propagation:  Bird-dispersed seeds.

Native range:  Eastern, southern and southeastern Asia to the Philippines; also cultivated and naturalized (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 932)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Frohlich, Danielle/Lau, Alex (2012) (p. 41) Voucher cited: D. Frohlich & A. Lau 2010022401 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2004) (pp. 13-14) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer, F. Duvall & L. Nelson H30220 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 932)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 94)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 94)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Forests, hillsides, valleys, shrubby areas, dark damp places; 100-2400 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, SW Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang.
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 117)
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
North Korea North Korea	North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	native	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 15) Critically endangered
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Forests, hillsides, valleys, shrubby areas, dark damp places; 100-2400 m.
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	MacDonald, I. A. W./Thebaud, C./Strahm, W. A./Strasberg, D. (1991) (pp. 51-61)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Très envahissant"
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Kueffer, C./Lavergne, C. (2004) (p. 4)
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	introduced invasive	Baret, Stephane/Rouget, Mathieu/Richardson, David M./Lavergne, Christophe/Egoh, Benis/Dupont, Joel/Strasberg, Dominique (2006) (p. 758)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, D./Sussman, R. W. (1988) (pp. 187-204)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	introduced invasive	Kueffer, C./Mauremootoo, J. (2004) (p. 6)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced invasive	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 53)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

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)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) Georgia, Louisiana
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Often grown as an ornamental.

On list of plants to be excluded from French Polynesia.

Planting of this species is prohibited in Miami-Dade County, Florida (U.S.) (Miami-Dade County Dept. of Planning and Zoning, 2010).

See also A. elliptica

Control: 

Physical:  "Seedlings and saplings can be hand pulled if soil disturbance is not a problem".

Chemical:  "Glyphosate can be used to spray dense seedling populations.  Larger trees are cut and the stumps treated with herbicide, or treated with a basal bark application of triclopyr"  (Weber, 2003; p. 53).