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In The Garden
Rick Barboza
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Low shrub can accent taller plants
Description: Cute, dwarflike shrub, very compact in form (up to 8 inches), with soft, green, featherlike leaves. It has small, purple daisy flowers that stand erect above the plant and dance in the wind. The seeds form like dandelion seeds and are carried by the wind.
As far as I know, there is no written documentation for a Hawaiian name of this plant species, hence the made-up name of Makua daisy. Other species of this same genus are called pamakani, meaning "to blow in the wind," which matches the description perfectly.
HUI KU MAOLI OLA
Makua daisy
Tetramolopium filiforme
The Makua daisy can be found on the dry ridges of the Waianae Mountains.
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Distribution: This endangered species is found wild only on the dry, windswept ridges of Ohikilolo and Keaau Valley in the Waianae Mountains of Oahu. Other native species in this genus are found on other islands, and there is even another found on Oahu, but all are considered rare, endangered or even extinct.
Landscape use and care: Tetramolopium look great planted around the base of stones or as low accents around other plants. Their flowers protrude above the rest of the plant, similar to that non-native ground cover golden glory. They also do fine in pots for the lanai or near a sunny window. These plants are usually found in fairly dry areas, therefore require very little watering. Too much watering could eventually cause the roots to rot.
Give these plants as much sunlight as you possibly can. This will help to keep the area somewhat dry and further reduce the chances of rotting.
Also: The main threat to the survival of this plant in the wild is degraded habitat from erosion caused by overgrazing by goats. It would be safe to say that the goats also devour this plant, as they do to most of our native species.
Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery, with Matt Schirman. Contact him at 259-6580 or e-mail
rickckbarboza@aol.com. "In the Garden" is a Friday feature.
Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery, with Matt Schirman. Contact him at 259-6580 or e-mail
rickbarboza@aol.com.