Chrysodracon aurea
Genus
Chrysodracon
Species
aurea
Hawaiian Names with Diacritics
- Hala pepe
- Leʻie
Hawaiian Names
- Hala pepe
- Leie
Common Names
- Golden hala pepe
- Kauaʻi hala pepe
Synonyms
- Dracaena aurea
- Draco aurea
- Pleomele aurea
- Pleomele stenophylla
Distribution Status
Endemic
Endangered Species Status
No Status
Plant Form / Growth Habit
- Partially Woody / Shrub-like
- Tree
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
- Shrub, Tall, Greater than 10
- Tree, Small, 15 to 30
Life Span
Long lived (Greater than 5 years)
Landscape Uses
- Accent
- Container
- Specimen Plant
Additional Landscape Use Information
Hala pepe are generally slow growing, but well worth the effort.
These attractive plants can be used as an alternate for the money tree and other dracaenas.
Plant Produces Flowers
Yes
Flower Type
Showy
Flower Colors
- Green
- White
- Yellow
Additional Flower Color Information
Hala pepe displays a beautiful hanging inflorescence (panicles) of greenish-yellow tubular flowers.
Blooming Period
- Summer
- Fall
Additional Blooming Period and Fruiting Information
Round red berries follow flowering period.
Plant texture
- Coarse
Additional Plant Texture Information
Hala pepe leaves range from 20 to 22 inches long.
Leaf Colors
- Medium Green
Additional Pest & Disease Information
Hala pepe is prone to scale. Root-chewing arthropods attack young plants.
Fertilizer
An application of a balanced slow release fertilize with minor elements is beneficial every six months. Foliar feed monthly with a kelp or fish emulsion, or a water-soluble fertilizer with a dilution of one-half to one-third of the recommended strength. [David Eickhoff, Native Plants Hawaiʻi] Use caution not to over fertilize hala pepe.
Pruning Information
None necessary except to remove dead lower leaves and spent fruit stems (panicles).
Water Requirements
- Dry
Additional Water Information
This hala pepe will tolerate both moist and dry conditions.
Soil must be well drained
Yes
Light Conditions
- Full sun
- Partial sun
Additional Lighting Information
Hala pepe does best in full sun.
Tolerances
- Drought
- Wind
Soils
- Cinder
- Organic
Limitations
Good drainage is necessary for hala pepe. [2]
Natural Range
- Kauaʻi
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- 150 to 1000, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 1000 to 1999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 2000 to 2999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 3000 to 3999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
Additional Habitat Information
This species of hala pepe is found in diverse mesic forests and hala forests at elevations from 400 to over 3,500 feet on Kauaʻi.
Special Features and Information
General Information
The endemic genus Chrysodracon has been placed in the family Asparagaceae. [7]
Etymology
The former generic name Pleomele is derived from the Greek pleon, many, and melon, apple, in reference to the large inflorescence that produce many fruits.
The current generic name Chrysodracon is from the Greek Chrsyo, golden, and dracon, dragon, referring to the unique yellow (golden) flowers of this genus; other dracaena have white, green and/or purple tepals (flowers). [7]
The Latin specific epithet aurea, golden, in reference to the golden yellow flowers, in fact which all Hawaiian species possess.
Hawaiian Names:
The Hawaiian name hala pepe (pēpē means baby) apparently meaning "baby hala," is most likely named for its likeness to hala. [1]
Halapepe, as one word, has at times been used for this species, whereas it is generally referred to as hala pepe, a two word name. [6]
Background Information
Some of the most distinctive features among the Hawaiian species of hala pepe are found in leaf length, width and shape, and in the characteristic perianth, the portion of the flower that has petals and sepals (tepals). [3]
Early Hawaiian Use
Medicinal:
Leaves, roots, and root bark of this species (P. aurea) were mixed with other plants and pounded together. The liquid was then taken for asthma and lung problems. The buds, roots, and root bark were prepared in a similar way for chills (liʻa), headaches, fever, and thought to stop buring temperature or sensation. [4,5]
Religion:
The soft wood was used by early Hawaiians to make idols and to decorate altars.
Modern Use
Leaves and flowers are used in lei making today.
Additional References
[1] "Endangered Plants and Threatened Ecosystems on the Island of Hawaiʻi" by J. Juvik, J. DeLay, M. Merlin, M. Castillo, L. Perry, K. Kinney, page 30.
[2] "Small Trees for Tropical Landscape" by Fred D. Rauch & Paul R. Weissich, page 96.
[3] "Monograph of the Hawaiian Species of Pleomele (Liliaceae)," by Harold St. John, pages 171-189.
[4] "Hawaiian Herbs of Medicinal Value," by D.M. Kaaiakamanu & J.K. Akina, page 42.
[5] "Native Hawaiian Medicine--Volume III" by The Rev. Kaluna M. Kaʻaiakamanu, pages 47-48.
[6] Hawaiian Dictionaries online http://www.wehewehe.org [11/16/11]
[7] "Phylogenetic Relationships among Dracaenoid Genera (Asparagaceae: Nolinoideae) Inferred from Chloroplast DNA Loci" by Pei Luen-Lu and Clifford W. Morden, pages 91, 101.
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