Plant Profile
Cyrtandra platyphylla
Haʻiwale, Kanawao keʻokeʻo, ʻIlihia
Main Plant Information
Genus
Cyrtandra
Species
platyphylla
Hawaiian Names with Diacritics
- Haʻiwale
- Kanawao keʻokeʻo
- ʻIlihia
Hawaiian Names
- Haiwale
- Ilihia
- Kanawao keokeo
Synonyms
- Cyrtandra baccifera
- Cyrtandra begoniaefolia
- Cyrtandra clarkei
- Cyrtandra cordata
- Cyrtandra cordifolia var. gynoglabra
- Cyrtandra crinalis
- Cyrtandra hillebrandi
- Cyrtandra malacophylla var. erosa
- Cyrtandra mauiensis
- Cyrtandra mauiensis var. truncata
- Cyrtandra ovatiloba
- Cyrtandra petila
- Cyrtandra pickeringii var. waiheae
- Cyrtandra waiheae
Plant Characteristics
Distribution Status
Endemic
Endangered Species Status
No Status
Plant Form / Growth Habit
- Shrub
Mature Size, Height (in feet)
- Shrub, Small, 2 to 6
- Shrub, Medium, 6 to 10
Life Span
No data available.
Landscape Uses
No data available.
Plant Produces Flowers
Yes
Flower Characteristics
Flower Type
Not Showy
Flower Colors
- White
Blooming Period
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
Additional Blooming Period and Fruiting Information
The blooming period from June to December for ʻIlihia is based on several photos and may been extended to additional months. The fruiting period would, of course, follow these months.
Leaf Characteristics
Plant texture
- Medium
Additional Plant Texture Information
As with many native Hawaiian Cyrtandra spp., the leaves are generally pubescent (fuzzy).
Leaf Colors
- Medium Green
Additional Leaf Color Information
Based on many photos, the leaves appear to be a medium green for the most part.
Pests and Diseases
Additional Pest & Disease Information
Slugs, and perhaps African snails, relish the foliage. Red spider mites can infest the undersides of the leaves. root mealybugs can damage the root system of Cyrtandra spp.
Growth Requirements
Fertilizer
Applications of an 8-8-8 fertilizer in small amounts and monthly foliar feeding has been suggested.
Water Requirements
- Moist
Soil must be well drained
Yes
Light Conditions
- Partial sun
- Shade
Soils
- Cinder
- Organic
Environmental Information
Natural Range
- Maui
- Hawaiʻi
Natural Zones (Elevation in feet, Rainfall in inches)
- 1000 to 1999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 1000 to 1999, Greater than 100 (Wet)
- 2000 to 2999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 2000 to 2999, Greater than 100 (Wet)
- 3000 to 3999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 3000 to 3999, Greater than 100 (Wet)
- 4000 to 4999, 50 to 100 (Mesic)
- 4000 to 4999, Greater than 100 (Wet)
Habitat
- Terrestrial
Additional Habitat Information
ʻIlihia is naturally found from 3000 to 5000 feet on Maui and about 1215 to about 4000 feet on Hawaiʻi Island in moist shaded sites in wet and sometimes mesic forest.
Special Features and Information
General Information
Cyrtandra belong to the Afican Violet family or Gesneriaceae. Worldwide, there are about 600 species in the genus Cyrtandra , of which about 60 are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Cyrtandra is the second largest genus followed only by Cyanea , with about 80 species. Over half of the Hawaiian species are either rare, endangered or extinct.
Etymology
The generic name Cyrtandra is from the Greek kyrtos , curved, and andros , stamens, in reference to the spirally curved ferile staminal filaments.
The specific epithet platyphyllum is Greek and means broad-leaved.
Early Hawaiian Use
Though Haʻiwale have been given Hawaiian names, some with specific names like ʻIlihia, no use is currently known for them.
Modern Use
A few species, such as ʻIlihia and Hahala ( Cyrtandra garnotiana ), have been cultivated with some success. This is such a wonderful and extremely variable group of plants. Given proper cultivation and protection from pests, they may be more adaptable to low elevation conditions than we may realize.
