Hawaii introduced banana poka in the early 1900s for its edible fruit and ornamental flowers: Birds scattered their seeds, and it eventually climbed into rainforests, where it now smothers trees beneath dense curtains of vegetation

Banana poka, introduced to Hawaii as an ornamental plant, now invades native rainforests. Birds and pigs disperse its seeds, aiding its rapid spread across forest canopies. This invasive vine smothers trees and prevents forest regeneration, causing significant ecological damage. Biological controls have been attempted, but manual removal remains challenging and costly. Preventing introduction is far more effective than managing established invasive plants.