Ochrosia haleakalae
Genus
Ochrosia
Species
haleakalae
Hawaiian Names with Diacritics
- Hōlei
Hawaiian Names
- Holei
Common Names
- Island yellowwood
Synonyms
- Ochrosia hamakuaensis
Distribution Status
Endemic
Endangered Species Status
At Risk
Plant Form / Growth Habit
- Tree
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
- Shrub, Medium, 6 to 10
- Shrub, Tall, Greater than 10
- Tree, Small, 15 to 30
Mature Size, Width
8 foot spread. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Life Span
Long lived (Greater than 5 years)
Landscape Uses
- Specimen Plant
Additional Landscape Use Information
A great medium sized shrub/tree for mid or low elevations, but not coastal. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Source of Fragrance
- Flowers
Additional Fragrance Information
The small flowers have a fragrance similar to plumeria. [Forest & Kim Starr, United States Geological Survey-Pacific Cooperative Studies Unit]
Plant Produces Flowers
Yes
Flower Type
Showy
Flower Colors
- White
Additional Flower Color Information
Hōlei flowers are small but easily seen.
Blooming Period
- Summer
- Fall
Additional Blooming Period and Fruiting Information
Blooms late summer/fall. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Plant texture
- Coarse
Additional Plant Texture Information
Leaves range between 1 and 7 inches long.
Leaf Colors
- Medium Green
Additional Leaf Color Information
A whitish midrib appears on each leaf of hōlei.
Additional Pest & Disease Information
Root rot, sooty mold. Control ants to decrease pests. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Fertilizer
Low fertilizer is good occasionally. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Pruning Information
Hōlei can be pruned though usually not needed. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Water Requirements
- Dry
Additional Water Information
Medium to low water needs. Drought tolerant after established. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Soil must be well drained
Yes
Light Conditions
- Full sun
Tolerances
- Drought
Soils
- Cinder
Natural Range
- Maui
- Hawaiʻi
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- 2000 to 2999, 0 to 50 (Dry)
- 2000 to 2999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 3000 to 3999, 0 to 50 (Dry)
- 3000 to 3999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
Additional Habitat Information
This rare species of hōlei is naturally found in dry and mesic forests and often on lava scattered on East Maui and Hawaiʻi from about 2,300 to over 3,900 feet.
Hōlei is also cultivated at Kīpukapuaulu, Kīlauea, Hawaiʻi.
Special Features and Information
General Information
The four endemic species of Hōlei (Ochrosia spp.) are in the same family (Apocynaceae) as the non-native plumeria. Other natve Hawaiian family members include maile (Alyxia stellata), two species of kaulu (Pteralyxia spp.), and hao (Rauvolfia sandwicensis).
Etymology
The generic name Ochrosia is derived from the Greek ochros, pale yellow, in reference to the color of the fruit.
The specific name haleakalae refers Haleakalā, Maui, part of the range of this species.
Early Hawaiian Use
Early Hawaiians had a variety of uses for hōlei, including using the wood for gunwales (moʻo) on canoes and scraping boards for olonā. [1,3]
Dye:
The bark of the stems and roots produced a yellow dye for kapa (tapa). [1] Pukui and Elbert (1986) stated that kapa dyed with hōlei or the act of dyeing kapa with it are also known as hōlei. Kamakau (1976) notes two types of kapa dyed with hōlei: 1) a yellow kapa named hōlei for the tree, "colored by beating in the juice of the bark of the hōlei" and 2) a kapa named wailiʻiliʻi with a pattern of thick yellow stripes dyed with hōlei. [3]
Food:
The nuts were used as food. [2]
Medicinal:
An infusion of bark and leaves were for steam in a sweat bath. The nuts with other plants were chewed and given to infants for general debility. [2]
Modern Use
Flowers can be used for leis. [Ethan Romanchak, Native Nursery, LLC]
Small bark pieces of hōlei soaked in just boiled water yielded a bright yellow dye which took well to cotton cloth (Cathy Davenport and ACM unpublished). [3]
Additional References
[1] "Plants in Hawaiian Culture" by Beatrice H. Krauss, pages 50, 65.
[2] "Hawaiian Herbs of Medicinal Value," by D.M. Kaaiakamanu & J.K. Akina, page 44.
[3] "Auwahi: Ethnobotany of a Hawaiian Dryland Forest" by A.C. Medeiros, C.F. Davenport & C.G. Chimera, page 25.
PHOTOS FOR THIS SPECIES CAN BE SEEN AT THE LINK (Copy & Paste to your browser):
Ochrosia haleakalae
https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=50823119%40N08&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=Ochrosia%20haleakalae
Ochrosia kauaiensis
https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=50823119%40N08&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=Ochrosia%20kauaiensis
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