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
Metrosideros polymorpha the most common native tree in the Hawaiian Islands, tolerating a wide range of soil conditions, temperature, and rainfall. It grows from sea level right up to the tree line at elevations of and is commonly found in moist and dry forests, high shrublands, and is a colonizer of recent lava flows. It is relatively slow growing. Dominant in cloud forests above , the tree is also common in seasonally wet forests, where it may be dominant or form mixtures with the native "Acacia koa". "Metrosideros polymorpha" may occur as a tall tree or a prostrate shrub, and everything in