Naupaka kahakai
Scaevola gaudichaudiana; S. gaudichaudii; S. mollis
A large shrub with large, green, thick leaves, soft white fruit and the well known “half flower.”
He lāʻau pūnohunohu me nā lau ʻōmaʻomaʻo nui. ʻAno mānoanoa nā lau. He hua keʻokeʻo palupalu, a kaulana hoʻi ka pua hapalua o ka naupaka.
This native ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi species is found throughout the tropics on the coast. Locally, naupaka can be found on practically every sandy or rocky beach.
Laha loa ka naupaka ma kahakai.
Naupaka kahakai makes a great hedge. Its natural habitat will tell you that this plant thrives in full sun and needs very little water once established in the ground. This plant can be shaped into a low hedge or groomed into a large hedge reaching over 10 feet tall. Planting them every 2 feet will ensure a thick and beautiful hedge. Very few pests bother this extremely hardy plant.
Nani ke kanu nui ʻana i ka naupaka i pā naupaka. E kanu i kahi e pā nui ai ka lā, a ʻaʻole pono ka wai he nui. Hiki ke paʻipaʻi i ka naupaka i pā haʻahaʻa, a i pā kiʻekiʻe (ʻumikapuaʻi). Ma ke kanu ʻana, ʻelua kapuaʻi ke kōwā ma waena o nā kumu. ʻAʻole nui nā mū e pilikia ai ka naupaka.
On sandy beaches, the wind-breaking effect of naupaka traps sand at their roots, forming a mound. Over periods of time, the continuing sand deposits turn into sand dunes.
This can easily be seen at places like Allen Davis or A.D.’s, formerly known as Queen’s Beach.
Today, places like this (A.D.’s, Ka’ena point, Kahuku, etc.) are being threatened by the use of off-road vehicles. These places harbor many endangered plant species that off-roaders may not realize are being harmed.
Many of the coastlines that once were home to numerous sand dunes are now covered with ironwood trees that don’t encourage the formation of dunes. Instead, these plants that are planted as windbreaks invasively spread, preventing anything from growing under them.
Let’s keep the rest of our beaches from being taken over by invasive alien plants such as ironwood and plant more naupaka instead. They look better and also serve as windbreaks, without hurting other plantlife or our feet. Ever step on the ironwood seed cones?
Paʻa ke one a me nā puʻuone i nā aʻa o ka naupaka. Hiki ke ʻike ʻia kēia ʻano ma Makapuʻu.
Laha loa ka naupaka ma nā kahakai like ʻole o ka pae ʻāina. I kēia wā naʻe, pilikia kekahi mau mea kanu Hawaiʻi o ia mau kahakai i ke kalaiwa ʻia ʻana e nā kānaka. A, ʻaʻole paha kamaʻāina i nā lāʻau o ia wahi.
I kēia wā nō hoʻi, nui ke kumu paina e ulu ana ma kahakai. Akā ʻaʻole nō ikaika nā aʻa o nā kumu paina i ʻike leʻa ʻia; kahe wale ke one, lilo i kai. A ʻaʻole nui nā lāʻau e ulu i ka malu o ka paina. E aho paha e kanu i ka naupaka ma kahi o nā paina i mea e mālama ai i nā kahakai.