strawberry guava

Introduced to Hawaii from Brazil in 1825, strawberry guava – also known as waiawi – is classified as an invasive species by government agencies. The people have made use of the plant: the fruit is used in jams, and the wood used for smoking meat. Strawberry guava has no natural enemies in Hawaii, and experts say its rapid growth is crowding native forests at an alarming rate. The state has introduced a biological control to curtail the spread of waiawi – a scale insect, also from Brazil – although the plan has been met with some public resistance.