Plant Species
ʻAʻaliʻi
Scientific Name: Dodonaea viscosa
Distribution: ʻAʻaliʻi is an indigenous plant found across a wide range of habitats, from dry coastal lowlands, where it was once the most dominant shrub, into wetter mesic forests. It occurs on all the main Hawaiian Islands except Kahoʻolawe, where it most likely grew in the past and is currently being reestablished through outplanting. ʻAʻaliʻi becomes dominant again in the upper dry forests and subalpine dry forests of Maui and Hawaiʻi.
Cultural uses: The seed capsules are highly valued in lei weaving and the red capsules are used for making a red dye. The beautiful wood of ʻaʻaliʻi is very hard and is used for making smaller hand tools and weapons.
Landscape use and care: This plant thrives in full sun with well-drained soil and minimal watering. Once established and showing new growth, watering can be reduced to once or twice per week. ʻAʻaliʻi looks great as an accent plant around large boulders, as a specimen plant, or even as a hedge, and it is highly wind- and drought-resistant. It is frequently used in restoration work, especially on slopes and stream banks, because its deep taproots act like structural pillars for slope stabilization. Once established, ʻaʻaliʻi is a hardy, low-maintenance plant that requires little ongoing care.
Additional info: In Hawaiʻi, there are many varieties of this plant, all classified as the same indigenous species. However, plants can look slightly different on each island and across different climate and elevation zones. This variation suggests that more research is needed to fully understand and classify the species. Other names for this plant include ʻaʻaliʻi ku makani, ʻaʻaliʻi ku ma kua, and kumakani.
Akulikuli
Scientific Name: Sesuvium portulacastrum
Description: ʻAkulikuli is a very low-growing, creeping ground cover with fleshy green leaves, bright red stems, and purplish-pink flowers.
Cultural Uses: The flowers, leaves, and branches can be strung into lei. The leaves are also edible but have a notably salty taste and were traditionally used as roughage in pig feed.
Landscape Use: ʻAkulikuli is highly tolerant of drought, wind, and salt, making it an excellent ground cover for gardens, especially in sunny locations. In its natural habitat, it forms a dense mat with extremely succulent leaves that appear almost ready to burst. This look can be replicated in the landscape by reducing watering once the plant is established. With frequent watering, the plant will grow more quickly, but the leaves will be less succulent.
Alaʻalawainui
Scientific Name: Peperomia blanda
Distribution: A low-growing, highly succulent plant that reaches about 10 inches in height. It has fleshy, light green stems and dark green leaves with a slightly rough texture; the undersides of the leaves may show reddish-pink streaks. The plant produces small, inconspicuous flowers on short, soft stalks that rise above the foliage. Once pollinated, these flowers develop into slightly adhesive, poppy seed-like seeds that cover the flowering stalk.
Cultural Uses: A rich, gray dye for dying kapa can be made from the ashes of this plant.
Landscape use and care: This plant works well as an accent around large landscape stones or as a bedding plant. While it can tolerate full sun, partial shade is preferred; in full sun, ʻalaʻalawainui will require slightly more water. When used as a bedding plant, space plants about one foot apart, as it does not spread extensively. Few pests are known to affect this species, though slugs may occasionally feed on young offshoots.
ʻAweoweo papa
Scientific Name: Chenopodium oahuense
Distribution: ʻAweoweo, the plant, not the fish, is found in dry, harsh habitats such as coastal areas, lowland dry forests, and up into subalpine shrublands on large volcanoes like Mauna Kea. Despite its species name (oahuense), this endemic plant occurs on all the Main Hawaiian Islands except Kahoʻolawe, where it likely existed in the past, as well as on most of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands.
Cultural Uses: The young leaves and stems were traditionally wrapped in tī leaves and steamed for food during times of famine. The harder wood at the base of the plant could also be shaped into fishhooks, allowing one to catch ʻaweoweo with ʻaweoweo.
Landscape Use and Care: This plant is extremely hardy and thrives in full sun with little to no watering once established. Few pests affect it; occasional scale or aphids may appear but can be easily removed by hand or washed off with water.
ʻIlima papa
Scientific name: Sida fallax
Distribution: Naturally, ‘ilima papa is found on all the Hawaiian islands and many other places in the Pacific. All grow near the ocean in what is called the “strand vegetation” zone. Here the plants are exposed to extremely harsh conditions such as salt spray, wind, intense sun and heat, and drought. Because of this, the plants that occupy this vegetation zone have generally the same physical characteristics as mentioned above.
Landscape use and care: Plant ‘ilima papa as a ground cover anywhere that has full sun, is pretty dry and has non-clay soil. Space the plants about 1-1/2 to 2 feet apart. Do not over water. The best thing to do is to soak the ground and not water again until the soil has completely dried out. If you water too much, you’ll notice that the plants won’t be as prostrate and will get quite tall, especially if planted too close. Eventually the leaves will start to yellow, even drupe, which is a sign often mistaken for drying out so people add more water to the already drowning plant. If you notice this happening to your plant feel the soil first, if it’s still moist let it dry out. Bugs that sometimes feed on this plant are mealy bugs that are usually brought by ants, and whiteflies. Get rid of the ants with granular pesticide and treat the plant with any store bought pesticide that specifically kills mealybugs and whiteflies. Slugs and snails also like to live under ground covers so if you know your area has slugs or snails treat the area with slug and snail bait.
Uses: ‘Ilima is the island flower of Oʻahu and is used to make lei ‘ilima. The flowers can also be used as a mild laxative for babies. You can even put some in your tossed salad to add nice color by pinching them out of their calyxes (the small green cup that the petals emerge from), don’t worry about it being a laxative, it only works for babies. You would have to eat half a lei to make it work for adults but if you need to go then just keep pickin’.
Mauʻuʻakiʻaki
Scientific Name: Fimbristylis cymosa
Distribution: This indigenous plant is widespread throughout the Pacific. Here in Hawaiʻi it is found in the coastal strand zones usually in rocky areas but sometimes in sand right in the heart of the most brutal conditions.
Landscape Use: Mauʻuʻakiʻaki is very strong and can tolerate the most harsh environments including blazing sun, wind, salt, and drought conditions. Not many pests bother this plant. It is good used as either an accent plant around rocks (just like in its natural habitat) or as a mass planting of ground cover like how you would use mondo grass but in full sun. Don’t over water. The best way to water mauʻuʻakiʻaki is to give it a good soaking and not water again until the soil is completely dried out. Once it's established only water when needed, sometimes that’s never.
Additional Info: Don’t get this plant confused with another native grass called ‘aki’aki, its botanical name is Sporoblolus virginicus, they are very different. Although they grow in the same habitat, ‘aki’aki prefers sandy areas while mauʻu‘akiʻaki likes rocky areas, on top of that, they look nothing alike. What’s funny is that mauʻu is a general name for grasses in Hawaiian language which would make you think that Sporobolus virginicus, the grass, would be called mauʻuʻakiʻaki rather than just ‘akiʻaki and Fymbristylis cymosa, the sedge, would be called just ‘akiʻaki. Whatevahs.
Nanea
Scientific Name: Vigna mariana
Distribution: This indigenous plant is found throughout the tropics. In Hawaiʻi, it occurs on Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island. Its natural habitat is sandy coastal areas, where it often grows among other native plants such as naupaka kahakai, pōhinahina, ʻakiʻaki grass, and pōhuehue. It may also be found on sea cliffs and dry slopes.
Cultural Uses: The flowers of nanea are both beautiful and durable, making them suitable for lei, as are the seeds.
Landscape Use: Nanea is a fast-growing ground cover, so plant with care—it spreads quickly. Spacing plants about two feet apart will create a dense, full cover. It performs well on slopes for erosion control and provides vibrant color with nearly continuous flowering. Water every other day during establishment, then reduce watering to encourage a hardier, more resilient plant. Nanea prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade. Watch for spider mites, which can discolor and defoliate the plant; treat infestations with a pesticide specifically formulated for mites.
Additional Info: This plant is known by several Hawaiian names, which vary by island and region. Other names include nēnea, mohihihi, puhili, puhilihili, pulihilihi, wahine ʻomaʻo, and—among the more colorful names—lemuomakili and ʻokolemakili, which translates to “cracked buttocks.”
Neke
Pili
Scientific Name: Heterogpogon contortus
Distribution: Pili grass is an indigenous plant, or possibly a Polynesian introduction, found in dry, open areas, including rocky cliffs and coastal slopes. It occurs throughout the tropics and on all the main Hawaiian Islands, though often in scattered populations. An interesting note is that many Great Plains states use pili grass in grassland and prairie restoration projects; in fact, it is likely that more pili grass is currently growing in those states than in Hawaiʻi.
Cultural Uses: Pili was traditionally used for thatching houses and can still be used for this purpose today. It was also placed on hula altars dedicated to Laka, symbolizing the hope that newly gained knowledge would pili, or “stick,” in the minds of learners.
Landscape Uses: Pili thrives in full sun and hot, dry conditions. It is very low-maintenance and requires little to no watering once established. Few pests affect this plant, though birds may occasionally trim the blades for nesting material.
Additional Info: This is likely the material used for the “Little Grass Shack” in Kealakekua, Hawaiʻi. It should also be the material of choice for building the “Love Shack,” since the word pili means together, to be with, adhere to, or join—terms often associated with love and connection. The phrase pili aloha means close friend or beloved companion, so instead of giving a dozen roses, consider gifting a bundle of pili grass to show how much you care—just be sure to explain the meaning behind it.
ʻŪlei
Scientific name: Osteomeles anthylidifolia
Distribution: This indigenous plant is commonly found in a wide range of habitats from ocean cliffs all the way up through the lowland dry forest and mesic forests on all of the main islands except Niʻihau and Kahoʻolawe.
Cultural uses: The hard wood of the larger specimens were made into ‘oʻo, fishing spears, and the musical instrument ‘ukeke. The branches were bent into fishnet hoops as well as fashioned into arrow shafts. The leaves, flowers, and fruit were also woven into lei and sometimes the fruit was eaten. It’s no blueberry or strawberry but it tastes pretty good when eaten on the trail and you’ve been hiking for six hours and have absolutely nothing else to eat.
Landscape uses and care: This a great addition to any garden from a specimen plant, to a low hedge, or a mass planting on a slope, it all looks good. It can even be shaped into a perfectly round ball about five feet in diameter. Few pests bother this one and its shiny leaves and beautiful flower clusters are awesome features. Once it’s established in the ground you don’t even have to worry about watering.
Additional info: Other names for this plant include uʻulei or on Molokaʻi it's called eluehe. ‘Ūlei is one of four native plants in the rose family along with ‘ohelo papa, our native strawberry (Fragaria chiloensis), and two species of ‘akala, our native raspberries (Rubus hawaiensis and R. macraei).