Cedrela odorata L., Meliaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Evaluate further, score: 2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Cedrela glaziovii C. DC.; Cedrela mexicana M. Roem.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: nan mei xiang chun, yang chun

English: Barbados cedar, Mexican cedar, Spanish cedar, West Indian cedar, cedrela, cigar box cedar

French: cèdre acajou, cèdre des barbares

Spanish: cedrela, cedro colorado, cedro real

Tongan: sita hina

Habit:  tree

Description:  "Tree up to 20 m high; leaves up to 80 cm long, with (5-) 6-7 (-14) pairs of leaflets; leaflets ovate to lanceolate, acute to rounded at base, acute, acuminate or obtuse at tip, 8-20 cm long, 2.5-5.5 (-8) cm broad, generally glabrous; flowers with a heavy malty odor, 6-9 mm long; petals greenish-cream in bud, opening white; fruit 2.5-4.5 cm long, septicidally 5-valved; seeds flat, chestnut-brown, about 25 mm long and 6-7 mm broad"  (Adams, 1972; p. 394).

Habitat/ecology:  "Forests and forest edges.  In the native range, this tree occurs in semi-deciduous to evergreen lowland and montane tropical forests.  It grows rapidly and is a highly variable species in the native range.  It is intolerant of shade and does not coppice or sucker from roots.  High seedling densities are common.  The tree shades out native plants with its large leaves, displacing them and building up species-poor monospecific stands.  Native shrubs and trees are unable to establish in these stands"  (Weber, 2003; p. 91).

Roadsides, pastures and disturbed areas to 3360 (-4000) feet elevation in Jamaica (Adams, 1972; p. 394).  Moist uplands in the Galápagos Islands (McMullen, 1999; p. 65). In Fiji, "infrequently cultivated near sea level"  (Smith, 1985; pp. 571-572). In New Caledonia, "cette espèce est représentée par de beaux arbres plantés à Yahoué. En cette localité et à Tonghoué non loin de là des pieds spontanés assez nombreux et déjà grands se sont établis dans des fourrés secondaires, et parfois aussi dans des forêts naturelles peu dégradées" (MacKee, 1994; p. 101). "The plant appears well suited to coastal, tropical and sub-tropical areas of Australia, including the monsoon zone"  (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998).

Propagation:  Wind-dispersed seeds (Weber, 2003; p. 91).

Native range:  West Indies, Central and South America; cultivated and naturalized (GRIN). Widely planted as a timber species.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 33) Not common.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	cultivated	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 79)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 664588) Taxon name on voucher: Cedrela odorata L.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 90) "Potential invader"
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Falanruw, Marjorie (1999) (pp. 4, 8) In species trial plot.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 571) Voucher cited: Smith 8249
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 160041) Taxon name on voucher: Cedrela odorata L.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1985) (p. 571) Voucher cited: DA 16415
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1969) (voucher ID: BISH 160040) Taxon name on voucher: Cedrela odorata L.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Naturalisée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 40)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 37)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 37)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 37) East Maui. Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 030807-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 37)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced cultivated	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 37)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 100) "Potential invader".
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (pp. 100-101) Vouchers cited: MacKee 34693, MacKee 34736
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 575408) Taxon name on voucher: Cedrela odorata L.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 9)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 427970) Taxon name on voucher: Cedrela odorata L.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 56)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 59) Plantations.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 51)

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)	Queensland	introduced cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (pp. 30-31)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Cultivated. Guangdong.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (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
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
South Africa South Africa	South Africa (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (pp. 30-31)

Comments:  Introduced as a possible timber tree to Yap and possibly other islands in Micronesia. Introduced as a timber tree to Samoa and Tonga—should be monitored for possible spread.

An invasive species in South Africa.

Control: 

Physical:  "Seedlings and saplings may be hand pulled or dug out.  larger trees can be killed by cutting at ground level"  (Weber, 2003; p. 91).