While the inflorescence is simply stunning, the rosette of silver leaves is nothing to sneeze at either. Growing only on the slopes of Haleakalā at altitudes of 7000 to 10,000+ feet, the succulent and hairy leaves are adaptations to the arid, windy, and cold alpine environment. The parabolic reflector shape of the rosette aids in focusing sunlight towards the growing shoot tips, keeping them warm. A brethren subspecies, similarly remarkable, is found on Mauna Kea.
While the inflorescence is simply stunning, the rosette of silver leaves is nothing to sneeze at either. Growing only on the slopes of Haleakalā at altitudes of 7000 to 10,000+ feet, the succulent and hairy leaves are adaptations to the arid, windy, and cold alpine environment. The parabolic reflector shape of the rosette aids in focusing sunlight towards the growing shoot tips, keeping them warm. A brethren subspecies, similarly remarkable, is found on Mauna Kea.
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Every dog has its day, and it's today that the dogbane family gets a front and center post. It all started when I went out in my backyard this morning, marveling at the beautiful, vining Stephanotis in bloom. At the same time, the large seed pods of this plant have ripened, going from a smooth green pod, to a yellower, wrinklier version, and some have split open. Inside are lots and lots of tightly packed seeds, each with a silky sail. The seeds and pods so reminded me of milkweed, I had to get online to see if they were in the same family. And indeed, they are. Milkweed used to belong to its own family, but has recently been reclassified in a subfamily of the family Apocynaceae, (pronounced a-pos-ih-NAY-see-ee, or a-pos-ih-NAY-see-eye) the dogbane family. Dogbane members often (but not always) have a milky sap, which can be poisonous. Their leaves are simple (meaning the blade is whole - not divided into leaflets), and often opposite to each other (two leaves arise on opposite sides of the stem from the same node) or whorled (several leaves arise from the same level on the stem and encircle it). The petals may be fused or partially fused, and are usually five-lobed. With this general information, I began to look around my yard, and the plants in the neighborhood, thinking about which might be related. And, wow, it turns out many of our tropical ornamentals are in the dogbane family. I immediately thought of the crown flower, the plumeria and the yellow allamanda, a vining plant with yellow trumpet-like flowers, and yup - they're all in the family. Add to that list the natal plum, the Madagascar periwinkle, vinca, the be-still tree, maile, oleander, and mandevilla - and there's plenty more. Seems the neighborhood has gone to the dogs.
A friendly nettle, this māmaki. No stinging hairs to make the harvesting of its leaves uncomfortable, so pluck away and put the kettle on to steep up a little tea. This is the culturally important and endemic plant, Pipturus albidus. It is highly variable in height, leaf size, and coloring. Some can be described as trees; others as shrubs. Leaves can be purple-veined or white-veined. All sand-papery and serrated along their margins, māmaki leaves can be as large twelve inches, and vary in color from light green, through dark green, even reddish-green. The reddish leaves seem to do better in sunnier spots, according to the Native Plants Hawaiʻi website, though partial shade and moist conditions seem most suitable for all varieties. It makes sense then, that it is found throughout the islands, but not Kahoʻolawe or Niʻihau. Inconspicuous flowers are borne along the leaf axils, and become small whitish fruits which, in olden times, were used medicinally for a variety of ailments. The plant was also widely used in the making of kapa. Letʻs not forget the importance of māmaki to the two native butterflies, the Kamehameha butterfly and the Blackburn butterfly, both of which use the plant as a host for their larvae.
While visiting Kaho'olawe last October, I came across this beauty eking out an existence in the parched landscape. It's the endemic Hawaiian poppy, pua kala, which translates as thorny flower, and indeed, these delicate blooms are expertly defended by prickly bluish-green leaves, stems, and seed capsules. This deterrent, combined with a bright yellow sap of bitter alkaloids, keeps even ever-munching cattle from grazing on it. The only native poppy, Argemone glauca has exquisite bright white petals surrounded by a deep yellow center of stamens and a purple stigma. It can be found on the dry leeward slopes of all the MHI, upward to around 1700 feet. Its preference for full sun and dry conditions makes it a great choice for xeriscape gardens. The yellow poppy you are more likely to come across is the non-native Mexican poppy, Argemone mexicana, which is naturalized in the islands.
Considered by many to be among the most beautiful of the tropical trees, ōhiʻaʻ ai certainly delivers in the color department. Many are flowering now, in March or April, with the pom-pomish blossoms bursting along the branches as well as the trunk of the tree. When they shed their many stamens, incredible pink to purplish carpets can be found, giving hikers another reason to hit the trails (there is also a variety with white flowers). The fruit generally mature in summer and fall (though this is variable) with two or three, sometimes even four harvests! Apple-like in skin color, more pear-like in shape and taste, the fruit are small, just two to three inches long, and delicate in taste as well as staying power - their tendency to bruise easily means that they are best enjoyed right away, making them a special island treat. Mountain apple preserves and pickling are alternate routes. Brought to Hawaii by the early Polynesians, this canoe plant was a true "giving tree," providing food, shade, medicine, wood, and dye. Its giving continues through the present in home landscapes as well as wet lowland forests, usually on the windward sides of our islands.
Let's do the twist. Place a pili grass seed in water, and it's long and twined awn will begin contortions that will amaze. In it's natural environment, this response enables the barbed end of the seed to be screwed into the soil, and have earned the grass its botanical name, Heteropogon contortus, and its Hawaiian name, "pili" which means to cling or stick. It's a beautiful tussock grass, forming large clumps with a two to five foot spread. Pili grass loves the sun and can do well in dry, coastal environments. Its pleasant scent, color, and durability made it the choice grass for thatching, and is likely why Hawaii is famous for its "little grass shacks." On Kaho'olawe, pili plays a big role in restoration efforts, growing well despite low rainfall and poor soils. Bales of pili are are scattered about the Mars-like terrain, catching wind-blown sediments and serving as a growing medium for natives such as aʻaliʻi.
Loved by monarchs - queens and butterflies alike. That's the claim to fame of these lavender or white gems of the crown flower. Pua kalaunu was a favorite of Queen Lili‘uokalani; a quilt patterned with the flower adorns her bed at Washington Place, as the long-lasting lei adorned her neck. Crown flower is also the host plant for the monarch butterfly, whose caterpillars gobble up the thick and wooly leaves. Known to botanists as Calotropis gigantea, this large shrub and member of the milkweed family first arrived in Hawaii in 1871. It produces a white, sappy milk that contains calcium oxalate and a cardiac glycoside, two reasons why the crown flower made #5 on the "Top Ten Inquiries About Plants to the Hawaii Poison Hotline." Lei makers often soak the flowers in cold water to remove any sap, and bathe their hands in lotion before working with the flowers. Goggles may be worn to prevent the tearing and swelling that results from squirting flowers. A good sixty to seventy flowers are needed to craft a typical lei, so you may want to plant your own Calotropis gigantea. The plants are hardy, love the sun, and can grow in a variety of soils. Propagate by plunking a branch into water for a couple of weeks. After it roots, outplant and water well once a week. With luck, it might become the crowning glory of your yard.
In 1997, researchers on the island of Kaua'i uncovered the fossilized seeds of this beautiful tree, predating man's arrival there. Previously thought to have arrived here first with Polynesian settlers, the kou tree is now considered a Hawaiian native. It is also found throughout the Pacific, and as far away as East Africa, its buoyant seeds perhaps helping to make it an international traveler. It's loved wherever it grows, its broad canopy providing shade, its wood easily carved, and its magnificent orange flower pleasing to the eye. Kou's tolerance of wind and light salt spray makes it a good choice for windbreaks and coastal landscapes. It prefers the bright sun and warmth of the leeward coasts and lower elevation forests but does just fine in urban settings, making our parking lots and shopping malls a bit more colorful. It's a significant cultural tree, often planted near the home to provide relief from the sun. It's nearly heart-shaped leaves (species name: subcordata) are wonderfully glossy and were used to make dyes for kapa and for dying fishing lines to make them less visible, as well as used in combination with other plants in traditional medicines. The unscented flowers were strung into lei. Bowls, utensils, figurines and more were carved from kou. Throughout its range it is in decline due to over-harvesting for the wood, and because of the kou leaf worm (Ethmia nigroapicella), introduced here in the late 1800's, which can defoliate trees. So if you have a suitably-sized garden, have a heart, and consider planting this treasure trove of a tree.
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