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In the Garden

Native mint profuse with its blossoms

By Rick Barboza

POSTED: 01:45 a.m. HST, Oct 31, 2008

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Kupali'i
Plectranthus parviflorus

Description: These are low-growing herbs with fleshy stems and leaves that are densely pubescent -- covered with short "hair" -- and soft to the touch. Little purplish-white flowers emerge on numerous stalks that protrude way up above the plant. Sometimes more than 40 flowers are on each stalk, very cool-looking.

Distribution: This indigenous member of the mint family is found on all the main islands except Kahoolawe, although it most likely grew there in the past on dry, rocky, open areas.

Landscape use: This plant can be used as an accent around the base of rocks or as a low border, shrub or ground cover to edge certain areas out. It looks best as a specimen plant where there isn't much going on around it, and it can grow and spread to its maximum width of about 2 feet. It will naturally grow out in a radial pattern, and when in bloom it has a nice rounded mound of flowers.

Kupali'i thrives in full sun and requires little watering. In fact, once you have it in the ground, just water it once every two or three days for two to three weeks, then just let it fend for itself. This plant is sun-, wind-, salt- and drought-tolerant, making it an excellent candidate for a xeriscape garden or any garden, for that matter.

Find them at Home Depot stores for about $6 or at Hui Ku Maoli Ola for $5.

Cultural use: A lei made of kupali'i is pictured in the book "Na Lei Makamae," by lei maker Marie McDonald and Paul Weissich. This could be my favorite lei in that entire book for its appearance -- it looks soooo cool!

Also: In Hawaii, some of our plants have evolved to lose some of the natural defenses that once protected them from certain ungulates such as goats and cattle. For example, all mints native to Hawaii are "mintless." The reason is that the mint flavor is undesirable to these animals, but the initial mint species that arrived here evolved in a place uninhabited by large herbivores, so over time that mint defense was lost. Instead, our native mints focused their energy into reproduction, so now many of them, such as this plant, are beautiful, oftentimes with great scent!

Unfortunately, today Hawaii has many large-grazing mammals, making our unprotected plants prime target for dinner, resulting in our native mints becoming extinct or placed on the endangered species list. This plant is also known as 'ala'alawainui wahine, not to be confused with 'ala'alawainui (Peperomia spp.), which is a totally different plant.


Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery, with

Matt Schirman. Contact him at 259-6580 or e-mail Rick.ck.barboza@gmail.com.

Kupali'i
Plectranthus parviflorus

Hui Ku Maoli Ola

Description: These are low-growing herbs with fleshy stems and leaves that are densely pubescent -- covered with short "hair" -- and soft to the touch. Little purplish-white flowers emerge on numerous stalks that protrude way up above the plant. Sometimes more than 40 flowers are on each stalk, very cool-looking.

Distribution: This indigenous member of the mint family is found on all the main islands except Kahoolawe, although it most likely grew there in the past on dry, rocky, open areas.

Landscape use: This plant can be used as an accent around the base of rocks or as a low border, shrub or ground cover to edge certain areas out. It looks best as a specimen plant where there isn't much going on around it, and it can grow and spread to its maximum width of about 2 feet. It will naturally grow out in a radial pattern, and when in bloom it has a nice rounded mound of flowers.

Kupali'i thrives in full sun and requires little watering. In fact, once you have it in the ground, just water it once every two or three days for two to three weeks, then just let it fend for itself. This plant is sun-, wind-, salt- and drought-tolerant, making it an excellent candidate for a xeriscape garden or any garden, for that matter.

Find them at Home Depot stores for about $6 or at Hui Ku Maoli Ola for $5.

Cultural use: A lei made of kupali'i is pictured in the book "Na Lei Makamae," by lei maker Marie McDonald and Paul Weissich. This could be my favorite lei in that entire book for its appearance -- it looks soooo cool!

Also: In Hawaii, some of our plants have evolved to lose some of the natural defenses that once protected them from certain ungulates such as goats and cattle. For example, all mints native to Hawaii are "mintless." The reason is that the mint flavor is undesirable to these animals, but the initial mint species that arrived here evolved in a place uninhabited by large herbivores, so over time that mint defense was lost. Instead, our native mints focused their energy into reproduction, so now many of them, such as this plant, are beautiful, oftentimes with great scent!

Unfortunately, today Hawaii has many large-grazing mammals, making our unprotected plants prime target for dinner, resulting in our native mints becoming extinct or placed on the endangered species list. This plant is also known as 'ala'alawainui wahine, not to be confused with 'ala'alawainui (Peperomia spp.), which is a totally different plant.


Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery, with

Matt Schirman. Contact him at 259-6580 or e-mail Rick.ck.barboza@gmail.com.

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