Flowering time – Summer – Autumn
Origin – Native to northern Australia (i.e. the coastal districts of northern and central Queensland and the northern parts of the Northern Territory) and New Guinea.
Council declaration – Class R – Reduce populations
Known distribution
This species is becoming widely naturalised beyond its native range in eastern Australia (i.e. in south-eastern Queensland and the coastal districts of northern New South Wales). Also naturalised on Christmas Island and Lord Howe Island, and possibly naturalised on Norfolk Island and in south-western Western Australia. Naturalised overseas in south-eastern USA (i.e. Florida), the Caribbean (i.e. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) and on some Pacific islands (e.g. Fiji, Palau, French Polynesia and Hawaii).
Habitat
A weed of closed forests, rainforests, open woodlands, waterways (i.e. riparian areas) and coastal environs in these areas. This plant from northern areas has been widely cultivated in gardens. It is shade tolerant and invades disturbed or undisturbed forests and coastal bushland.
Habit
A fast-growing multi-stemmed tree usually growing 6-10 m tall, but occasioanlly reaching 20 m or more in height. Seedlings may germinate in the crotches of large trees, and in this case the plant will grow as an epiphyte until its roots reach the ground.
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