‘Āweoweo in Hawaiian Culture: The two Hawaiian names for this plant, ‘āweoweo and ‘āheahea, are very descriptive. ‘Āheahea means "to wilt," a common response of this plant's leaves to the drought conditions it often experiences. In the Kumulipo, the Hawaiian creation chant, many animals and plants were created in pairs such that when one organism was created in the ocean there was a counterpart created on land. So, while ‘āweoweo is the name of a plant, it is also the name for Hawaiian bigeye (Priacanthus spp.), a genus of all-red reef fish. What makes this shared name particularly appropriate is that the leaves, flowers, and fruits of some ‘āweoweo, when crushed, smell overwhelmingly like a fish. The red streaking sometimes seen on ‘āweoweo stems is also considered by Hawaiians as further evidence of the plant-fish connection. For a long time, I thought all ‘āweoweo (the plant) had this fishy fragrance, until a hiking trip in West Maui with my friend Anna Palomino. Upon encountering an ‘āweoweo growing on a roadside cliff, I shared with Anna the Kumulipo connection. She responded by telling me she had never encountered an ‘āweoweo on Maui that smelt like a fish, and, sure enough, this cliff-face ‘āweoweo was scentless.
Hawaiians would wrap the leaves and shoots of ‘āweoweo in kī (Cordyline terminalis) leaves, cook them in an ʻimu, and eat them when food was scarce. They also used ‘āweoweo wood in composite fish hooks. Medicinally, ‘āweoweo was used to treat children with ‘ea (thrush) and pā‘ao‘ao (ailments), sometimes mixed with other ingredients. The Bishop Museum Ethnobotany Database notes: “The kahuna ho‘omanamana called this plant ‘iloe holokula, because it was used everywhere to induce death…[also used] with the ‘ākia lau nui (Wikstroemia) and some bitter plants as firewood in the fireplaces used to send prayers.〞
Collecting Seeds: ‘Āweoweo flower and fruit almost continuously except during prolonged periods of drought. Even then, you are likely to see old panicles with mature fruits. The tiny fruits of ‘āweoweo are botanically referred to as utricles – small thin-walled one-seeded somewhat inflated fruits. They are clustered on a panicle (a type of inflorescence) that turns from green to tan or brown when the utricles are mature. You can collect the ripe utricles by hand; they easily break off the panicle into your palm if you cup your hand around the panicle and gently pull. Alternatively, you can cut off the panicles, place them in a ziplock bag, and massage the bag until the utricles break off and fall to the bottom of the bag. I normally sow ‘āweoweo utricles shortly after collecting them. However, they can be stored in a refrigerator for, perhaps, as long as 1-2 years. After a year, most of my seeds were nonviable, however, if sown in-mass, you may get some spouts.
Growing from Seed: I have experienced mixed results with ‘āweoweo seed. Most often, I get a high percentage of germination from the freshly-collected utricles I have sown. However, occasionally, very few or even none of the seeds germinate. There may be a couple of reasons for this according to David Duvauchelle at the USDA: (1) Cultivated ‘āweoweo produce seed with very low germination rates, and (2) Because ‘āweoweo often produces seed continuously, the majority of the seed harvested might be immature. Of these two reasons, I am more inclined to believe the first is the more likely reason for my bad luck. However, I have also had bad luck with utricles I have collected from some wild ‘āweoweo, and very good success with utricles I have collected from some cultivated ‘āweoweo. Therefore, I think seed viability may have more to do with an individual ‘āweoweo's ability to successfully pollinate itself (or closely-related nearby ‘āweoweo) and produce viable seed. In other words, perhaps, some, but not all, ‘āweoweo can only produce viable seeds when they are pollinated by a second genetically-different ‘āweoweo. Whatever the reason may be, if you experience poor germination with your ‘āweoweo seed, try collecting again from a different plant or location.
Do not try to separate ‘āweoweo seeds from their thin fruit; you should sow the utricles directly. Methods One, Two, and Three all work for ‘āweoweo, and soaking or not soaking the utricles before sowing does not seem to make a difference. I prefer to use Method Two or Three, sowing a few to several utricles in each container. Later, I cull all but one of the sprouts from the pot. Seeds normally begin sprouting in 1-2 weeks and continue for another month. It takes 1-2 months for the seedlings to develop four true leaves; if you are using Method One, this is the best time to transfer the seedlings to individual containers. Seedlings grow quickly, particularly if you give them good light (i.e., 50% to 100% full sun) and a little fertilizer, and should be 8-12 inches tall in about three months. Once they reach this size, plant them out in your garden or restoration site. If you have grown your ‘āweoweo seedlings in less than 50% sun, acclimate them to the light level in your garden with a temporary sun-shield – be creative!
Growing from Cuttings: It is possible and sometimes preferable to grow ‘āweoweo from cuttings such as when you want to retain a particular variety (e.g., prostrate ‘āweoweo). Using Method One or Two, ‘āweoweo cuttings root in about two months. I have limited experience rooting ‘āweoweo. However, the few I have grown from cuttings seemed less vigorous and had a shorter lifespan than those grown from seed.
Growth in the Garden: My experiences with ‘āweoweo are limited to the prostrate and erect shrub forms; I have never grown any of the treelike forms. ʻĀweoweo will grow in partial shade but does best in full sun. Water your new planting until it is well established (2-3 months) in the site. After that, water only during prolonged drought. In fact, watering too often can cause root-rot and kill your ‘āweoweo. ʻĀweoweo is not fussy about soil type, growing well in sand, clay, and rocky soils. Likewise, ‘āweoweo in the ground do not need fertilizer. In about a year or less, your plant should be 2-4 feet tall (or wide if prostrate) and flowering and fruiting. Occasionally, one or more main branches will die for no apparent reason. Most of the erect shrub forms of ‘āweoweo I have grown (O‘ahu strains) have died after about five years, seemingly from senescence. If this is generally true of ‘āweoweo, you should plan on periodic replacements for your garden. (I suspect treelike ‘āweoweo live much longer than five years.)
Diseases & Pests: I have never had much of a problem with pests or diseases attacking ‘āweoweo. Occasionally, a small gray weevil (Myllocerus sp.) will eat the leaves, or aphids or mealybugs will infest the stem-tips; ants often protect and spread these two sap-sucking pests. Refer to Enemies in the Garden for methods of combating these pests. In the field, Forest & Kim Starr have seen leaf damage by the Hawaiian beet webworm (Spolodea recurvalis).
Ā ā Ē ē Ī ī Ō ō Ū ū