IN THE GARDEN:
Mamaki was used to make kapa (clothing) when the softer, preferred wauke (paper mulberry) was not available. Today, mamaki is commonly used to make a mild but invigorating tea. Latin name: Pipterus albidus
By Rick Barboza
Description: Shrubs or small trees, 5 to 15 feet tall. The leaves are generally light to dark green and large, up to a foot across. They also have a rough, leathery texture and, sometimes, red veining. Flowers are insignificant in appearance but develop into fleshy white fruit containing many tiny brown seeds.
Distribution: This endemic plant is found in mesic to wet forests and valleys on all the main islands except Kahoolawe and Niihau.
RICK BARBOZA
Mamaki, used to make tea, grows on all the main islands
Landscape use and care: Mamaki does well as an understory shrub or in semishaded areas. It also does fine in full sun with moderate watering. As with most plants, mamaki also does better in well-drained soils. Few pests bother this plant, but spider mites may colonize under the leaves. A quick wipe of the leaves should take care of the problem.
If caterpillars are present, be careful about spraying the plant. The caterpillars may be the larvae of the native Kamehameha butterfly, which uses the mamaki as a host plant.
Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery, with Matt Schirman. "In the Garden" is a Friday feature about flora, written by field experts.
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