In 1937, a botanical garden in Tahiti planted an ornamental tree; today, a single tree can produce 8.9 million seeds and threaten Queensland’s World Heritage rainforests

In 1937, a botanical garden in Tahiti planted miconia as an ornamental tree.

A single mature miconia tree can produce over 8.9 million seeds in one fruiting season.

Miconia invades rainforests by forming dense stands that block sunlight and smother native vegetation.

Biosecurity Queensland warns miconia poses a major risk to Queensland’s World Heritage rainforests, including rare endemic species.

The plant spreads aggressively from escaped cultivation and can cause irreversible ecological damage.