‘ūlei
Description: A low shrub with vine like stems that have small green leaves with white flowers and small round fruits.
ʻōlelo mua (Introduction):
Inoa(Name):
- Scientific – Osteomeles anthyllidifolia
- Hawaiian – ‘ūlei, u‘ulei, or eluehe (Molokai)
ʻOhana: Part of Rosaceae family
Kūlana olakino(Status): Indigenous
Nū hou ʻAno ʻano (Seed Information):
- Seed length approximately 4 mm. Photograph: B.Kennedy.
Nū hou Propagation(Propagation Information):
From seeds: separate pulp from seeds in water and soak for a day or 2, seeds are small so sow carefully on moist, prefirmed pot medium.
Or from cutting: cut 2–4 inch stems, use rooting hormones and keep moist in 1st wks. Like lots of sun, water and well-drained soil (Bornhorst 1996:31–32; Nagata 1992:1993 addendum).
Lāʻau lapaʻau(Medicinal Use):
- This species can treat ‘ea and pa’ao’ao. The leaf buds and seeds of the ‘ulei are eaten until the illness is gone.
- Using the ‘ulei bark, leaves, and salt to treat open cut or injuries; you pound all items into a mass and apply to injury.
Ways it was Used:
- The hardwood from this species was used to make digging sticks, musical instruments like ukulele
- Sometimes the flexible branches were used in fishnet loops.
- The fruits used as casual food and made into lavender dye and mixed in lei making.
Kino lau(Many Forms taken by Supernatural body): None
Kaianoho(Habitat):
- Occuring in a wide variety of habits including dry open shrubland, dry to mesic forest, disturbed sites, lava fields; between 2–2320 m on most main islands (Wagner et al. 1990:1104–1105).
`Ōlelo Noeau:
[I] ‘A‘ole i ‘ena‘ena ka imu i ka māmane, me ka ‘ūlei, I ‘ena‘ena i ka la ‘ola‘o.
The imu is not heated by māmane, and ‘ūlei wood alone, but also by the kindling. To be powerful, a ruler must have the loyalty of the common people, as well as the chiefs.
[II] He ‘ūlei kolo.
A creeping ‘ūlei. An expression applied to a tough, strong person. The wood of the ‘ūlei is very strong and was used as a fishing spear in older times.
