Lycium sandwicense
Genus
Lycium
Species
sandwicense
Hawaiian Names with Diacritics
- ʻAeʻae
- ʻĀkulikuli kai
- ʻĀkulikuli ʻaeʻae
- ʻĀkulikuli ʻōhelo
- ʻŌhelo kai
Hawaiian Names
- Aeae
- Akulikuli aeae
- Akulikuli kai
- Akulikuli ohelo
- Ohelo kai
Common Names
- Hawaii desert-thorn
Synonyms
- Lycium carolinianum var. sandwicense
Distribution Status
Indigenous
Endangered Species Status
No Status
Plant Form / Growth Habit
- Partially Woody / Shrub-like
- Sprawling Shrub
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
- Shrub, Dwarf, Less than 2
- Shrub, Small, 2 to 6
Mature Size, Width
ʻŌhelo kai has a spread of 6 or more feet.
Life Span
Long lived (Greater than 5 years)
Landscape Uses
- Container
- Ground Cover
Additional Landscape Use Information
ʻŌhelo kai is ideal for low elevation or coastal landscapes as a groundcover. Plant with other coastal natives such as hala, ʻaʻaliʻi, ʻilima, maiapilo, and hinahina kū kahakai (Heliotropium anomalum). Contrast the plants by using black cinder. They can also be planted in sandy, rocky soil in the garden. Plants should begin to flower and fruit within a year of planting out. Even though a true coastal plant, ʻōhelo kai can be planted at higher elevations in full sun and with proper drainage. If planted in large containers use sand, coral rubble and cinder.
Plant Produces Flowers
Yes
Flower Type
Not Showy
Flower Colors
- Blue
- Pink
- White
Additional Flower Color Information
The single small tubular flowers are whitish or bluish to pink.
Blooming Period
- Fall
- Winter
Additional Blooming Period and Fruiting Information
Bright red fruits follow the blooming period in the fall and winter months.
Plant texture
- Fine
Additional Plant Texture Information
Leaves are somewhat succulent with waxy bluish-green cast (glaucous).
Leaf Colors
- Light Green
- Medium Green
Additional Leaf Color Information
Leaves are somewhat succulent with waxy bluish-green cast (glaucous).
Additional Pest & Disease Information
Slugs and snails can ravage ʻōhelo kai when newly planted out as young plants. Sucking insects such as thrips, aphids, mealybugs, scale and whiteflies sometimes infest plants. To control these pests, control the ants.
Fertilizer
ʻŌhelo kai do not appear to need much ferilizer. In fact, over fertilizing can result in spindly plants with less succulent leaves than those found in the wild. Foliar feed montly if foliage yellows.
Water Requirements
- Dry
Additional Water Information
Do not over water these xeric plants.
Soil must be well drained
Yes
Light Conditions
- Full sun
Additional Lighting Information
Plants tend to languish and leaves less succulent if grown in too much shade.
Tolerances
- Drought
- Wind
- Salt Spray
- Heat
Soils
- Sand
- Cinder
- Coral
Limitations
Does not tolerant too much shade or water.
Natural Range
- Niʻihau
- Kauaʻi
- Oʻahu
- Molokaʻi
- Lānaʻi
- Maui
- Kahoʻolawe
- Hawaiʻi
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- Less than 150, 0 to 50 (Dry)
Additional Habitat Information
Naturally occurs in subsaline and rocky coastal sites from shoreling to about 140 feet above sea level.
Indigenous to the main Hawaiian Islands, Rapa (Easter Island), Tonga, and Juan Fernandez Islands.
Special Features and Information
General Information
ʻŌhelo kai is one of the few native members in the Solanaceae or Nightshade family which also includes four species of ʻaiea in the endemic genus Nothocestrum and four species of pōpolo (Solanum spp.).
ʻŌhelo kai (Lycium sandwicense) is very closely related to the nutritious wolfberry or goji berry (Lycium barbarum, L. chinense). Some other edible family favorites are tomato, potato, eggplant, cape gooseberry or pohā, tomatillo, and green and chili peppers.
However, as the family name implies, this group also has some of the deadliest of all plants with sinister names as Apple of Sodom, Angel's trumpet, Porcupine tomato, Thorn apple, Devil's fig, Devil's apple, and Five-Minute plant. Other kin containing toxic chemicals are mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), Jimsonweed (Datura stramonium), and tobacco (Nicotiana spp.). But the "Queen of Toxins," and one of our planets deadliest, is Belladonna (Atropa belladonna), which possess tropane alkaloids. It also goes by the names Devil's berries, Death Cherries, or Deadly nightshade. Then, there are some merely grown for their beautiful flowers like the garden favorites petunias, and the spectacular Golden challice vine (Solandra maxima).
Etymology
The generic name Lycium is derived from lykion, the Greek name for a shrub from Lycia (southwestern Turkey) and used by Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné), father of modern taxomony.
The specific epithet sandwicense refers to the "Sandwich Islands," as the Hawaiian Islands were once called, and named by James Cook on one of his voyages in the 1770s. James Cook named the islands after John Montagu (The fourth Earl of Sandwich) for supporting Cook's voyages.
Hawaiian Names:
The Hawaiian name ʻōhelo kai literally means "ʻōhelo by the sea." The bright red fruits were used in lei making. [1]
Background Information
Even though the salty berries are edible, they are not very tasty. [2]
Early Hawaiian Use
The fresh berries were strung as lei with kauna ʻoa. [1]
Modern Use
Additional References
[1] "Nā Lei Makamae--The Treasured Lei" by Marie A. McDonald and Paul R. Weissich, page 11.
[2] "Hawaiian Coastal Plants and Scenic Shorelines" by Mark David Merlin, page 12.
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