Naio papa hugs ground

Description: Naio papa is a crawling ground cover with dark green, glossy leaves and tiny white flower clusters that emerge from the leaf axis and stems. It has round, white fruit that are up to a quarter-inch in size. When in season, hundreds of these tiny fruit can be seen dangling from the underside of each stem.

Apparently there are a few different forms of naio papa, even though, to my knowledge, this plant is found in only one area. To have three distinct forms growing within this one population is unique.

One form has leaves that are a shade or two lighter and much broader, with marginal serrations that give the leaf tip a bit of a jagged look. It also has fatter, light green stems that spread out in a prostrate manner.

The second form has darker leaves that are narrower and with much finer serrations. The stems are maroon at the tips and tend to not be as prostrate; the flowers have a pink tinge.

The third form has dark leaves, too, but they seem to lack serrations and the stems are woodier. This form is also the tallest.

Distribution: Naio papa is found on the windswept coast of South Point on Big Island.

Landscape use: This drought-, salt-, wind- and sun-tolerant plant makes a beautiful ground cover that is easy to maintain. Regular watering will get the plant established, but after two to four weeks, reduce watering to slow growth for a more natural look.

Plant them at about two feet apart, giving them adequate space to grow and keep that prostrate look. If planted too close, they might compete for space and end up crawling on top of one another, making them look taller.

Look out for white flies that contribute to the growth of black "sooty" mold, an eyesore which could kill the plant. Mealy bugs and spider mites can also affect the plant by discoloring and disfiguring the leaves. Treat any of these problems as soon as possible with either a store-bought pesticide or by shooting the underside of the leaves with a heavy stream of water. Usually, once the plant is established and water reduced, the bugs have a harder time taking hold.