Plant – Hinahina

Hinahina

Hulikoʻa – (Description): Shrub like with heights of 2-5ft. Plant has showy, light purple or white flowers with a strong fragrance, arranged in a ‘helicoid cyme’. Plant has a fine texture with gray-silverish, light green leaves. It is a small coastal plant, somewhat succulent, with leaves grouped in rosettes.

Leʻaleʻa Mea kūʻiʻo – (Fun Fact):

– Hinahina means silver(y)

– On Nā Puke Wehewehe, Hinahina maens gray/grayish

ʻōlelo mua (Introduction):

Inoa(Name):

  • Scientific – Heliotropium anomalum var. argenteum
  • Hawaiian – Hinahina

ʻOhana: Part of Boraginaceae family

Kūlana olakino(Status): Endemic

Kino lau(Many Forms taken by Supernatural body): None

Mū – (Pests):  Mealy bugs may attack.

Kanu – (To Plant)Propagation: Can use cuttings with good potting soil(One part black or red cinder, one part peat moss, and two parts perlite).

Hoʻohana Hiʻohiʻona ʻāina – (Utilize Landscape)Landscape Uses: Makes beautiful and silvery ground cover that is drought, salt, and wind tolerant when established in the environment. Requires full sunlight and needs water regularly. Can get even more succulent and silver if it gets less water so donʻt let it dry out.

Lāʻau lapaʻau(Medicinal Use):

  • The leaves of the hinahina were brewed as a tea and believed to be a tonic.
  • Dried leaves were used in treatment of diabetes.
  • The leaves when pounded with another plant were used to help with childhood disease, physical weakening, thrush, and severe asthma.

Ways it was Used:

  • The flower and lei of Kahoʻolawe. The white flowers were used in lei making and provided a long lived attractive lei and haku.