Plant Profile
Charpentiera ovata
Pāpala
Main Plant Information
Genus
Charpentiera
Species
ovata
Varieties
- niuensis
- ovata
Hawaiian Names with Diacritics
- Pāpala
Hawaiian Names
- Papala
Common Names
- Koʻolau Range papala
Plant Characteristics
Distribution Status
Endemic
Endangered Species Status
No Status
Plant Form / Growth Habit
- Shrub
- Tree
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
- Shrub, Tall, Greater than 10
- Tree, Small, 15 to 30
Mature Size, Width
Pāpala is known to have up to an 11-foot spread.
Life Span
Long lived (Greater than 5 years)
Landscape Uses
- Accent
- Container
- Indoor
- Hedges
Additional Landscape Use Information
Does well as an understory plant in moist or wet shady locations. If grown in pots, the bigger the pot, the bigger the plant will grow. In a 2 or 3 gallon pot they will grow about 3 or 4 feet tall and 7 or 8 feet in a 7 gallon container.
Plant Produces Flowers
Yes
Flower Characteristics
Flower Type
Not Showy
Flower Colors
- Red
- White
Additional Flower Color Information
Pāpala has several to numerous red flowers per spike. While the flowers themselves are insignificant, when combined with the bright red stems (panicles), this plant presents a showy display of inflorescence.
Blooming Period
- Year Round
- Sporadic
Leaf Characteristics
Plant texture
- Medium
- Coarse
Leaf Colors
- Medium Green
Pests and Diseases
Additional Pest & Disease Information
Pāpala is prone to aphids, spider mites, root mealy bugs and scale infestations.
Growth Requirements
Fertilizer
Pāpala plants are known to be heavy feeders. Apply a balanced slow release fertilizer with minor elements every 6 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.
Pruning Information
Plants respond well to pruning. Prune just above an outward-facing leaf to encourage new branching.
Water Requirements
- Moist
Additional Water Information
Pāpala can tolerate both moist and wet conditions. It is a good plant for people who tend to overwater.
Soil must be well drained
No
Light Conditions
- Partial sun
- Shade
Additional Lighting Information
This plants do well in brightly-lit situations. It fares best Indoors in a well-lit room or one with fluorescent lighting most of the day, placed in south or west facing areas on the opposite side of the room from windows. It is also an understory plant that tolerates shading. North or east facing areas are best.
Tolerances
- Waterlogged Soil
Soils
- Organic
Environmental Information
Natural Range
- Oʻahu
- Molokaʻi
- Maui
- Kahoʻolawe
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- 150 to 1000, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 1000 to 1999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
Special Features and Information
General Information
Pāpala belong to the Amaranth family (Amaranthaceae). There are six species of Charpentiera , five endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and one, C. australis , found in the Austral (Tubuai and Raivavae) and Cook Islands (Rarotonga).
Other native Hawaiian family members include four other species in the same genus Charpentiera , a rare and little known amaranth ( Amaranthus brownii ) from Nīhoa, ʻāweoweo (Chenopodium oahuense), three species of Achyranthes , and three species of kuluʻī ( Nototrichium spp.).
The variety niuensis can be distinguished from variety ovata by its smaller, nearly elliptic leaves.
Early Hawaiian Use
Though this particular species of pāpala is not found naturally on Kauaʻi, the Hawaiian name “pāpala” did originate from a practice there. (See notes in this same section in Charpentiera obovata).
Additional References
[1] “Plants in Hawaiian Culture” by Beatrice H. Krauss, 95-96.
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