In 1917, botanist Joseph Rock introduced albizia to Hawai‘i as part of efforts to restore forests that had been cleared over the years. More than a century later, the fast-growing tree has become a major invasive species concern across several Hawaiian islands.
By 2018, an estimated 63,000 acres were heavily infested with albizia on O‘ahu and eastern Hawai‘i Island, according to the Hawaii Invasive Species Council’s Strategic Plan for the Control and Management of Albizia in Hawaii. The estimate included about 20,000 acres on O‘ahu and 43,000 acres in eastern Hawai‘i Island.
