Octopus Tree and Rose Ringed Parakeet

The umbrella plant, or schefflera, is a common, attractive, easy to care for house plant. In the tropics, the umbrella plant turns into an octopus tree (Heptapleurum actinophyllum or Schefflera actinophylla). The schefflera has been in the Hawaiian Islands since the early 1900s and is called the octopus tree, or he‘e. He‘e is the Hawaiian word for squid or octopus. It’s called the octopus tree because the red fruits growing on long stems from the tops of the tree resemble the tentacles of an octopus.

The octopus tree is native to the Australia and New Guinea region. It has naturalized on all the main Hawaiian islands, and is a major invasive species in the wet forests. Dense thickets of octopus trees crowd out native plants. It can grow to be 45 feet (15 m) tall. The octopus tree can even grow as an epiphyte on top of other trees or buildings. On the positive side, the flowers of the octopus tree provides nectar for native birds to feed on. The fruits also make handsome lei.

The seeds of the octopus tree are spread by introduced birds like the rose ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri), which feast on the fruit. The rose ringed parakeet was brought to the Hawaii in the 1960s and rapidly multiplied in the wild. The bright green or blue birds are the most successful invasive species of parakeet worldwide. Individuals can live 20-30 years. Besides spreading invasive plant seeds, they are a pest to fruit growers. And, they’re noisy.