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1.
‘A‘ali‘i - Dodonaea viscosa
Attractive shrub or small
tree (to 26 feet); grows in many environments, from coastal areas
through dry, mesic and wet forests.
Survives in harsh, dry,
windswept or cold conditions. Prefers
full sun. Excellent choice
for eroded pastures, windswept ridges of upper edges of mountain
forests; can compete with alien plants.
Excellent for native
landscaping and with full sunlight and low moisture. Displays dense
intense green foliage with unusual delicate papery winged seed capsules
(red, lavender, yellow or pink) that form from spring to fall on female
and bisexual plants. Male ‘a’ali’i have
unusual pollen producing flowers.
Hawaiians used the tough,
flexible wood of ‘a’ali’i
in the framework of hale (houses) and for spears and other
weapons. They boiled the
seed capsules to produce a red dye for decorating kappa (bark cloth).
Today, the leaves and fruit are used for leis.
Treated briefly in bleach
solution and soaked in shallow water overnight, seeds sprout readily
within a few days to a few weeks. Germination
time can be increased by immersing seeds in small amount of hot (not
boiling) water, letting water and seeds cool to room temperature and
plant the next day. Transplant
easily two to three weeks after sprouting.
Plant out ‘a’ali’i
once they are 8-12 in. tall. Thrive in a variety of soils, including those with high
limestone content. On
average grow about 20 in. per year and produce first flowers and fruits
second year in ground. Pests
are generally not a serious threat once they are growing vigorously. Need almost no watering after first year in the ground.
2.
‘Āweoweo or ‘Āheahea
- Chenopodium oahuense
Unlike most species in the
genus chenopodium, āheahea is a woody shrub or occasionally even a
small tree. The evolution of small non-woody plants into woody shrubs
and even trees is not an unusual attribute for native Hawaiian plants
and is referred to as arborescence.
Āheahea has small,
attractively lobed leaves and flowering heads are numerous and almost
constant. The O’ahu
variety seems to be short-lived, not living beyond 3 to 4 years.
Hawaiians ate āheahea
leaves when food was scarce and used the wood for composite fish hooks.
The small 1/16 inch
seed-bearing utricles are clustered at the end of the branches and when
the utricle dies and turns light brown they can be easily collected by
hand.
Plant āheahea utricles
in the usual standard way. Because
they are small, do not bury them deep in the vermiculite and use only a
light covering of green moss or none at all.
The seeds begin germinating at one week and continue for 2 to 3
more weeks.
After the second or third set
of leaves, transplant the young seedlings into individual pots.
The seedlings will be 8-12 inches tall and ready for outplanting
in two to three months. Plant
out using standard guidelines.
Āheahea does not seem to
be particular about soil type and once established (after 2 or 3 months)
should not require supplementary watering.
Āheahea should be nearly full size in less than a year.
Āheahea’s ability to reseed and its tenacity in alien
shrublands (along with ‘a’ali’i, ilima, and ma’o) make it a
useful species for those attempting native restoration in Hawai’i
lowlands.
3.
‘Ewa hinahina (common name) - Achyranthes splendens
This is a plant of lowland
open dry forest or shrubland, common on rocky slopes or coralline
plains. One of two
varieties, var. rotundata, is federally listed as endangered.
Achyranthes splendens is a
shrub up to 6 ½ feet tall with silvery leaves covered with dense light
colored hairs. When large,
the outer branches bend to the ground with the secondary branches
growing upward giving a somewhat sprawling appearance.
A. splendens was quite common on O’ahu’s Ewa Plain prior to
agricultural development.
The Hawaiians do not seem to
have used this plant.
Seeds are contained in long
utricles – plant utricles or remove seeds and plant in standard
manner. The seeds will
begin germinating in two to three weeks.
The first leaves are thin and long.
Let seedlings grow several true leaves before separating and
transplanting. Gradually,
over another two to three weeks, move the seedlings into full sun where
they will best develop their silvery leaves.
Kept in deep shade, the seedlings will grow spindly stems and
abnormally large leaves. Seedlings are occasionally attacked by sucking insects that
are easily eliminated with insecticidal soap.
A. splendens responds well to
repotting and fertilizer. The
plants grow rapidly (keep in full sun) in pots and after 3 to 6 months
can be 8-12 in. tall. After
outplanting, (full sun, water regularly until established) most plants
grow slowly for first few months. After
this growth, increases in a year or less to 3 ft. or so in height and
diameter. Can grow in red
clay as well as calcareous soils.
4.
Huahuakō - Rumex albescens
Mesic forest.
Ground cover;
in dry summer conditions; dies
back to root following earlier reproductive growth.
No known Hawaiian uses.
Quick germination, very fast
growth.
Tolerates being in ½ gallon
pots (if replanted from flats) for very long time.
Ideally, outplant from ½ gallon size.
4” pot size plants are not hardy enough to outplant.
5.
‘Iliahi - Santalum ellipticum; S. freycinetianum
Wai’anae
species; s.
paniculatum
Santalum freycinetianum was
common in the mesic forests of Kaua’i, O’ahu, Moloka’i, Maui, and
the dry forests of Lāna’i. The
Lāna’i variety, var. lanaiense, is federally listed as
endangered.
Early Hawaiians had
relatively little use for ‘iliahi until it became the center of
international commerce in the 1790’s.
The trade peaked in the 1820’s when Hawaiian chiefs became
sandalwood barons, ordering forced labor battalions of commoners into
the mountains to bring out the wood. Surprisingly, these trees of fragrant heartwood survived
and in some areas are making a modest comeback.
The coastal variety, which is a spreading shrub (var. littorale),
is the easiest to grow and is an attractive plant, suitable for a
xeriscape garden. The other
varieties are upright shrubs or trees which can grow up to 50 ft in
height, with rugged bark, abundant foliage, and clustered red (s. frey)
or yellow brown (s. paiculatum) flowers.
Ripe ‘iliahi fruits
resemble small purplish black olives.
While individual plants usually have ripe fruits for only several
weeks at a time, the fruiting season for most species lasts from spring
to fall. Some plants develop more than one crop of fruits during the
year. Green fruit seldom
produce strong seedlings.
Growers report waiting months
(even a year or longer) for ‘iliahi seeds to sprout.
Often seeds do not sprout at all.
Culliney and Koebele have had success in rapid germination using
the following method:
Extract the seeds from ripe
fruit and clean by hand. Let
the seeds air dry for approximately one week.
Then using forceps or medium sandpaper, remove a small portion of
the seedcoat at the pointed end (apex) of the seed so that the embryo
inside is visible; do not
damage the embryo. Soak
the seeds in a shallow container of 0.05 percent gibberellic acid for five
days, changing the solution daily.
Afterward, remove the seeds from the gibberellic acid solution
and dust them with a 1:1 mixture of powdered sulfur and captan.
This will inhibit fungus from infecting the seeds. Sow the seeds in a covered tray on new moist vermiculite.
The seeds begin sprouting in about one week and continue to
germinate for another two or three weeks.
After good root development (an additional one or two weeks)
transfer the seedlings to individual pots containing a 1:1 mix of fine
cinder (not black sand) and vermiculite.
Germination by this method is over 90 percent successful.
Unlike most Hawaiian plants,
‘iliahi should be planted in the ground as young seedlings.
They rarely develop beyond 2-6 months in pots.
They can be planted directly from their vermiculite sprouting
tray or later from the 1:1 mix.
For outplanting, the hole
should be just large enough to comfortably accommodate the plant’s
root structure.
S. ellipticum and s.
paniculatum like sunny conditions;
s. freycinetianum may do well in partial shade.
For the first week or two after planting out, shelter the young
plants from full exposure to the sun, gradually tapering off the
artificial shade. Because
the plants are small with shallow roots, you must keep them well watered
for at least several months. Sandalwood
development is slow, they seem to exist in stasis until establishing the
necessary parasitic root contacts with other plants.
They usually remain 4-6 inches tall for about a year.
When ‘iliahi undergoes a dramatic burgeoning of new growth, the
plant has taken hold. Successful
establishment of mountain sandalwood may require host plants:
koa trees are reported to be the most common hosts, but other
native (or foreign) species
can also be present nearby. Bruce
Koebele uses chamaesyce hypericifolia (an alien weed) for parasitic root
contact at the time of first seed transplant into 1:1 cinder/vermiculite
individual pots.
‘Iliahi foliage resists
most insect attacks. If
necessary, you can prevent insect damage to the stems of young plants
near ground level by using the non-toxic sticky resin (trade name:
Tangletrap or Tanglefoot) available in garden shops.
Apply a thin layer all around the lowest 1 inch or so of the
stem. If particles of soil
and organic debris get caught in it, so much the better for it creates a
kind of armor coat that protects the stem for weeks.
Apply as needed until some bark forms at the plant’s base.
http://www.kcc.hawaii.edu/campus/tour/plants/piliahi.htm
6.
‘Ilima - Sida fallax:
There are several forms of
ilima which vary in flower color and height of plant.
It may be a creeping plant to a large shrub.
It will grow from sea level to over 6,500 ft. in elevation.
It is found throughout the Pacific;
even on the low islands of Midway Atoll and Nihoa.
Ilima blossoms will vary in
color from a bright yellow to orange to a dull red.
The flower is tubular with 5 petals and is about one inch in
diameter. The leaves are 2
to 3 inches, roughly oval in shaped, with toothed or jagged edges.
The leaves may be covered with a white to gray down.
In ancient times, ilima was
used for medicinal purposes and for small, woven baskets.
Ilima was also used in leis for distinguished people.
Ilima seeds should be air
dried before planting. A
kitchen strainer may be used to separate the seeds from the seed capsule
debris. Seeds need to be
presoaked for 12 to 24 hours before planting.
Seeds are planted in a mixture
of three parts perlite and
one part Sunshine Mix #4. The
mixture should be kept moist. Seeds
should be placed in a low light, covered area to avoid rain damage.
Outplanting should be in the
range that the seed was obtained because many varieties are area
specific. Ilima will survive in areas from very dry to wet.
http://www.kcc.hawaii.edu/campus/tour/plants/pilima.htm
7.
Koa - Acacia koa
Koa, although usually a mesic
forest tree, is also found in drier zones from near sea level to
slightly over 2,000. Koa is
common to all main islands except Kaho’olawe and Ni’ihau.
The beautiful and majestic
koa tree can grow to the largest size of any native Hawaiian tree (115
ft) but there are many types that do not grow as tall as that.
While the young leaves of koa have feathery acacia-like foliage,
the mature foliage consists of sickle shaped phyllodia – not true
leaves at all, but flattened and elongated petioles (the leaf stems) of
the compound leaves. As the
tree matures, it produces fewer compound leaves and more phyllodes.
The most prized koa in
ancient times grew in steep-sided gulches where, in competition with
other trees to reach the sunlight, the trees grew straight and tall for
many meters. These were
prime trees for canoe building.
Hawaiians prized koa for
construction, especially the hulls of oceangoing canoes but also for
paddles, spears, the shafts of kāhili, containers and surfboards.
A red dye was also extracted from koa bark.
Depending on the elevation,
koa produce fruit from fall through spring.
Mature pods are dark brown and brittle.
Check carefully for insect damage when collecting seeds.
Healthy seeds resist rot and can be stored in sealed plastic bags
for many years. Koa seeds
sprout readily after scarifying (rub lightly with sandpaper or scratch
lightly with a knife blade) and soaking in shallow water.
Overnight the seeds swell up to two or three times their original
size, and can then be planted in individual deep pots containing new
potting mix. Roots emerge
within a few days to a week. Shoots
appear a few days after roots emerge.
In order to hasten growth, begin to lightly fertilize seedlings
two or three weeks after they have two or more true leaves.
Pre-treating koa seeds with household bleach may help to prevent
fungal infection (which often attack and kill koa seedlings).
Koa trees achieve their
explosive growth by virtue of a symbiosis with specialized bacteria that
live associated with the roots. To
be certain that home-grown koa seedlings are inoculated with these
beneficial bacteria, put a generous pinch of topsoil collected from a
wile koa grove in the potting mix, or stir some wild koa soil into water
and pour onto seedlings. Some local nurseries now stock the koa inoculant.
In mesic settings, koa
planted out at less than a meter in height can reach 10-17 ft in as
little as two years.
8.
Lonomea - Sapindus oahuensis
Lonomea is found in Central
America and Hawai’i. Oddly
in the Americas it does not shed its leaves but in Hawai’i it does.
Also, O’ahu and Kauai has its own species of lonomea.
Sapindus oahuensis or
soapberry. It grows in
moist to dry forests at elevations of 200 to 2,000 ft.
The tree grows to upward of
fifty feet. It is very
densely foliaged at the top.
The leaves are paired on the
stem and are narrow, 2 to 5
inches long, and resemble mango leaves.
The blossoms are proffered in clusters, are five-sided and buff
in color. The seed is black
and usually about .75 of an inch.
The pulp of the fruit when
mixed with water creates a lather that is used by Central American
people as soap for hair washing and for fine fabrics.
While we can’t be sure, most probably Hawaiians used it as well
as a soap. The pale wood,
of moderate strength, was used as fuel.
Germination of lonomea will
often take up to six months. Because
of this, it is recommended that the seed be scarified or soaked for
several days. If soaked the
water should be changed daily. Once
the outer husk is soft the seed may be planted in a flat of three parts
perlite and one part Sunshine Mix #4.
TNC recommends outplanting at
1 gal. tall 6 oz. size. (TNC
gives low priority for propagation given slow growth and sensitivity of
nursery grown trees to water stress).
9.
Maile - Alyxia oliviformis
Maile is most often found in
mesic forests, but also in wet and dry forests and shrubland, from
elevations as low as 50 m. (170 ft) to as high as 2,000 m. (6,600 ft).
Hawaiians classified the
highly variable leaf form of maile into five groups:
Maile lau lili (small-leafed
maile); maile lau nui (big-leafed maile); maile pākaha
(blunt-leafed maile); maile ha wale (brittle maile); and maile kaluhea
(sweet maile). The foliage is deep green, and when the outer layer of the
leaf is crushed it produces a sweet fragrance.
For these attractions, this plant is highly acclaimed.
While maile appears vinelike,
botanists formally classify it as a shrub.
Maile fruiting occurs mainly in the fall and winter.
The fruit are usually singular and resemble olives or slightly
elongated grapes. The fruit
is initially green, turning a deep purple or nearly black when ripe. The seed is a large football shaped pit, which when removed
from the fruit’s pulp creates a milky, slightly sticky sap.
The sap is easily washed off the seeds with water, but can be
difficult to get out of clothes.
Hawaiians have a long
tradition of assembling the fragrant maile into garlands (open chains).
Maile was one of the five essential declarations placed on the
kuahu (altar) within a hāhau hula, representing the four maile
sisters, mythical sponsors of hula.
Hawaiians also used maile to scent kapa.
Tiny white and yellow tubular flowers having a faint vanilla-like
fragrance appear in small clusters.
Maile seeds sprout readily in
two to four weeks without scarification.
A white root will appear first, followed by a long thin shoot.
When the shoot reaches 3-5 cm. (1-2 in.) high, a small pair of
leaves unfold at the top of the shoot.
Initially, the growth of the plant can be slow but it accelerates
after one/two months and tends to grow as single shoots reaching a meter
in height after six months.
In a 1 to 2 gallon pot, maile
can grow to 2 m. in height, but optimal growth is achieved by planting
in the ground before it reaches that size.
They tolerate outplanting well but can be sensitive to soil type
or companion plants. Most
maile prefer partial shade. Flowers
can appear in second year of growth.
Plants can grow 12-20 inches per year.
Pests include scale insects and aphids, normally attended by
ants.
http://www.kcc.hawaii.edu/campus/tour/plants/pmaile.htm
10. ‘Ōhi‘a
Lehua - Metrosideros polymorpha
There are several subspecies
and varieties of M. collina in
Hawaii and throughout the Pacific.
In Hawaii it is found between 1,000 ft. and 9,000 ft. on all of
the high islands.
It may grow to over a hundred
feet on the Big Island or may be only a few inches tall on Kauai.
It is extremely variable. The
leaves are reddish when young but will change to a dull green or bright
green depending on local. The
blossom is comprised of numerous bright red stamens .05 to one inch
long. Occasionally, the
flower will have a salmon to off yellow color.
The honey from ohi’a is a preferred food for the i’iwi bird.
Ohi’a is a very hard wood
often referred to as ironwood. In
ancient times, it was used for idols and spears.
Also, a lei of ohi’a flowers conferred a special honor. In modern times, ohi’a because of its durability, is used
for house flooring and railroad ties.
Ohi’a seed will propagate
readily in planting medium. Seeds
are very small but grow rapidly. Care
must be taken to keep the plant from becoming root bound.
Young growth may be susceptible to rose beetle damage.
Ohi’a should be outplanted
with at least five feet distance from other large plants.
It requires a moderate amount of water but can do well in a
rainforest setting.
http://www.kcc.hawaii.edu/campus/tour/plants/pohia.htm
11.
Wiliwili - Erythrina sandwicensis
This tree thrives in the dry,
coastal and foothill regions of all the islands.
Wili wili is an extremely
hardy tree, wind and drought resistant.
It grows up to 50 ft. tall but is usually much shorter.
While closely related to species found in many other tropical
locations, the Hawaiian wili wili is unique in its morphological
variation. Individual trees
vary in stature, thorn prevalence and flower color, which may be red,
orange, yellow, green or nearly white.
Red orange is the most common color.
The trees normally lose their leaves during the dry summer and
flower (often still leafless) in late summer to early fall.
Wili wili fruits are fuzzy
pods containing one to four seeds.
The low number of seeds per pod is a good way to distinguish
native trees from introduced species.
Hawaiian wili wili seeds vary in color from dark red to nearly
yellow and are ½ in. long. They are very hard and resistant to insect attack and can
be collected in excellent condition on the ground under the producing
tree.
The soft, light wood was used
by the early Hawaiians for fishnet floats, surf boards and canoe
outriggers. The colorful seeds are still strung into leis.
The most effective way of
speeding up the germination of wili wili seeds is scarification;
sand a small area of the seed coat and then place seeds in a cup
of water for several hours until the seeds soften, blister and swell.
Plant in a small deep pot filled with porous soil mix.
Root growth begins almost immediately and the shoot should emerge
in one week or less. Initial
seedling growth is rapid. (The
IF observation is: Do not
overwater seedlings.) After
3 or 4 weeks, lightly fertilize with any standard-purpose fertilizer.
When wili wili reaches 1 foot
in height (after 2 months), either repot it or plant out in full sun.
It is difficult to hasten its growth either with water or
fertilizer after planting out. Wili
wili follows a seasoning growth schedule, growing rapidly during the
winter months and little during the summer months.
Wili wili competes poorly for water and nutrients; so keep area surrounding the tree’s base free of grass.
Use mulch, rocks or weed-blocking fabric when possible.
http://www.aloha.net/~releaf/wiliwili.html
12. Kauila
Planned. No
Kauila seeds have yet been obtained.
http://www.kcc.hawaii.edu/campus/tour/plants/pkauila.htm
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