Madagascar Olive Care

Noronhia emarginata is a species of Noronhia native to Madagascar, now naturalized on Mauritius, Réunion and Bermuda. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to 3–15 m tall. It is cultivated as an ornamental tree in subtropical and tropical regions, and has become an invasive species in some areas, notably Hawaii.

It has smooth bark, stout terete branches and flattened terminal twigs. The leaves are opposite, elliptical or obovate, up to 16 cm long and 10 cm broad, with an entire margin and an emarginate (notched) apex. The flowers are small, pale whitish-yellow, fragrant, with a four-lobed corolla.

The fruit is a globose to turbinate drupe 2–3 cm diameter, apiculate, bright yellow ripening dark purple, drying hard, dark brown, slightly rough with a single pyriform, dark russet seed, 10–12 mm long. The cotyledons are unequal. Invasive in Hawaii.