Falcataria moluccana subtropical regions of the world and so has many common names. These include: albizia (Hawaii), Moluccan albizia, sengon (Java), salawaku (Maluku), jeungjing (Indonesia), ai-samtuco (Tetun, East Timor), madre de cacao (East Timor), batai (Malaysia), kerosin tree (Pohnpei), sau, Moluccan sau, and falcata (Philippines). The tree has become invasive in forests in Hawaii and on other Pacific islands. In Hawaii the caterpillars of the endemic Hawaiian koa looper ("Scotorythra paludicola") has been found to defoliate "Falcataria moluccana" and complete their development on this invasive tree without the larvae eating the leaves of their native host "Acacia koa". In Borneo the following
Acacia koa arranged end-to-end in the pod, rather than side-by-side. The phyllodes are also usually straighter, though this character is variable in both species. The wood is denser, harder, and more finely grained than koa wood. Koaia has been much more heavily impacted by cattle and is now rare, but can be seen on ranch land in North Kohala. The koa population has suffered from grazing and logging. Many wet forest areas, where the largest koa grow, have been logged out, and it now comes largely from dead or dying trees or farms on private lands. Although formerly used for outrigger canoes,