Leucaena leucocephala (tree)

Ecology Distribution Management Info Impact Info References and Links Contacts

General Impact Leucaena leucocephala is spreading naturally and has been reported as a weed in more then 20 countries across all continents except Europe and Antarctica. It is a weed of open, often coastal or riverine habitats, semi-natural, and other disturbed or ruderal sites and occasionally in agricultural land. It can form dense monospecific thickets which are reported to be replacing native forest in some areas and threatening endemic species of conservation concern in some areas. Dense thickets, even if not of immediate conservation concern can render extensive areas of disturbed ground unusuable and inaccessible.          Location Specific Impacts: Cayman Brac (Cayman Islands)   Competition: Leucaena leucocephala is aggressively invasive in cleared or disturbed areas, preventing re-establishment of native vegetation (Burton, 2003 in Varnham, 2006). Grand Cayman (Cayman Islands)   Competition: Leucaena leucocephala is aggressively invasive in cleared or disturbed areas, preventing re-establishment of native vegetation (Burton, 2003 in Varnham, 2006). Ascension Is. (Saint Helena)   Threat to endangered species: Leucaena leucocephala and other alien invasive vegetation may have contributed to the extinction of a native plant (see Oldenlandia adscenionis in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) by competing for scarce water resources (Pickup, 1999 in Varnham, 2006; Gray, 2003).