In the Garden
RICK BARBOZA / HUI KU MAOLI OLA
ALULA
Latin: Brighamia insignis
This plant is endangered presumably because its natural, native pollinator has gone extinct; therefore there is nothing in the wild to help it reproduce.
You may have seen an episode of National Geographic (or at the IMAX Waikiki) that showed two men who risk their lives and scaling enormous sea cliffs to hand-pollinate the flowers of this beautiful plant.
Description: The alula, often referred to as 'olulu, is a magnificent plant, almost prehistoric in appearance. It has a fat, succulent stalk (single, sometimes branched) that protrudes from the ground with a rosette of large leaves on top. Its yellow flowers emerge from the leaf axis on long stemlike tubes and are arranged somewhat like a crown. The flowers are gently fragrant and are about 2 inches in diameter. People commonly call this plant "cabbage on a baseball bat."
Distribution: This federally listed endangered plant is endemic to the islands of Kauai and Niihau, found on exposed sea cliffs such as those on the Na Pali coast on Kauai. There is also a similar species (B. rockii) that is found on the sea cliffs of Molokai which has white flowers.
Landscape use and care: This plant is excellent for people interested in xeriscape gardens. It thrives in full sun but does OK in partial shade. The alula does not like to have continuously wet roots, so the soil should be somewhat dry before the next watering. If the soil is always wet in your area, the alula does fine in a pot.
Watch out for red and black flat mites on the underside of leaves. If you notice them, you can spray the plant with store-bought pesticides (be sure to follow label instructions), or you can spray and wipe the leaves with water and mild soap.
Rick Barboza co-owns Hui Ku Maoli Ola, a native Hawaiian plant nursery, with Matt Schirman. "In the Garden" runs Fridays. Gardening Calendar
In the Garden runs Fridays in Today.
