Impacts
Coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) is regarded as an environmental weed in the Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia and on Christmas Island. This invasive plant is also listed as a priority environmental weed in at least one Natural Resource Management region in northern Australia. It can completely smother native plants, out-competing native vines and understorey vegetation. In the wet-dry climate of northern Australia, its leaves dry out and drop during the dry season thereby providing fuel for damaging fires.
Coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) is currently of most concern in the Northern Territory, where it is actively managed by community groups. It has spread from cultivation as a fence climber into nearby riparian vegetation and monsoon vine thickets. For example, this species is listed as a high priority weed in Aboriginal lands in the Northern Land Council area and is regarded as a significant weed in the Pine Creek bioregion.
In northern Queensland, coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) also inhabits wetter rainforest areas and the margins of mangrove forests. It is listed as a pest plant in the Townsville City local government area and as an environmental weed in the Thuringowa City region. It is also regarded as a high priority pest plant in the Mackay-Whitsunday region in central Queensland and is a locally invasive weed on coastal sand dunes on Bribie Island in south-eastern Queensland. Coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) is also becoming more common along waterways in suburban Brisbane.
In the Kimberley region of northern Western Australia, coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) often grows beside permanently wet inlets and in disturbed natural vegetation adjacent to creeks. It is not yet widespread or common in this area, but is reported to be spreading and is becoming a serious weed around the margins of Lake Kununurra. On Christmas Island, coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) is a widespread, but relatively minor, weed of sea cliffs and rehabilitation areas.
Coral vine (Antigonon leptopus) is also a problem species in other parts of the world, and is listed in the Global Invasive Species Database. It has become particularly invasive on several Pacific Islands, where it grows in disturbed areas and on dry coral cliffs. For example, it is extensively invading disturbed areas and forest edges on the northern half of Guam. It is also reported to be invasive on islands in the Atlantic (i.e. Virgin Islands) and Indian (e.g. Christmas Island and Timor) Oceans.