By the 90's Miconia was found growing in the wild on Maui and the Big Island. Miconia calvescens on Oahu Island Miconia calvescens was first introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in 1961 by the noted botanist and horticulturist Joseph F. Rock at Wahiawa Botanical Garden (planting records, Wahiawa), a site in central Oahu with suboptimal, seasonally dry habitat—about 1500 mm of annual rainfall. Potential welfare losses from the unchecked spread of Miconia in Hawaii are illustrated. Native to South and Central America, Miconia thrives in wet areas and in deep shade. started on Hawaii. ... Druentia inscita was introduced in Hawaii for the control of C. hirta, occupying upper—elevation sites and shaded environments (Nakahara et al. View photographs and a description of the plant Miconia calvescens, commonly known as Velvet Tree, Miconia, Purple Plague, Green Cancer, or Bush Currant. Miconia is now considered one of the most destructive invaders in insular tropical rain forest habitats in its introduced range. This naturalized ornamental garden plant is native to tropical America. This naturalized ornamental garden plant is native to tropical America. Miconia was imported to Hawaii Island as a botanical specimen in 1961 by a prominent Hilo resident. It was sold by several nurseries, ... Hawaii Native Status: Introduced. Miconia calvescens is an attractive plant and a botanical curiosity; it has been cultivated in greenhouses in Europe since the 1850s. 1992). The Miconia plant was introduced to Hawai'i as an ornamental plant in the 1960's. Miconia calvescens has become widespread and overwhelmingly dominant on Tahiti, an island with rain forest habitat very similar to that of the Hawaiian Islands and other high islands of the Pacific. Introduced to Tahiti in 1937 and has since overwhelmed two-thirds of Tahiti’s forests, and is directly responsible for threatening 25% of their native forest species with extinction; On Kauai. Found mainly in wet areas the plant is easily spread by birds eating the seeds. Miconia is a terribly invasive plant, and one of the largest threats to the fragile ecosystem in Hawai'i. Miconia (Miconia calvescens). Miconia calvescens is a small tree native to rainforests of tropical America where it primarily invades treefall gaps and is uncommon. ... Hawaii Native Status: Introduced. ... plant was purposefully introduced to Hawaii. Because of its attractive purple and green foliage, it was introduced to Hawaii as an ornamental in the 1960s. First introduced to Tahiti at the Papeari Botanical Garden in 1937, it now occurs over 65% of the 1045 km2 island and occurs as dense, monospecific stands over 25% of the island (Meyer 1996). Miconia is nicknamed the green cancer of the Pacific. It has invaded relatively intact vegetation and displaces native plants on various islands even without habitat disturbance. This suggested to him that if the Miconia natural enemies were introduced to Hawaii and Tahiti, where they will be free from their own natural enemies, ... he made collections of diseased Miconia specimens and sent them to Hawaii. There are three known populations, in Wailua River State Park, Wailua Homesteads, and … Miconia calvescens; Photo by Forest & Kim Starr. Rapid expansion of Miconia calvescens, an ornamental tree introduced to several Pacific Islands over the last century, threatens local watersheds, endangered species, and recreational and aesthetic values in the Hawaiian and Society Islands. View photographs and a description of the plant Miconia calvescens, commonly known as Velvet Tree, Miconia, Purple Plague, Green Cancer, or Bush Currant. By testing the theory with a real-world case, we intend to highlight both the usefulness of the theory and its limitations. Family: Melastomataceae Considered very invasive and is on the Hawaii State Noxious Weed List.The Division of Forestry and Wildlife of the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources has designated this species as one of Hawaii’s Most Invasive Horticultural Plants.. Control of Invasive Species: Lessons from Miconia in Hawaii ... Miconia calvescens, now present in Hawaii. Lepidopterans as Potential Agents for the Biological Control of the Invasive Plant, Miconia calvescens. According to legend, the first Miconia plants died, and the pot was discarded under a dark greenhouse bench. (Miconia calvescens) Family: Melastomataceae.