Pōpolo (sandwicense)
Solanum sandwicense
A large shrub or small tree up to 12 feet tall with light green to almost yellowish foliage. Each leaf is rough in appearance, with somewhat ruffled lobes on the margins. A light brown pubescence, which is heavier on younger leaves, covers both the underside and top of the leaf. White flowers hang facing down with a purple stripe on the center of each flower petal. Once pollinated, they develop into shiny black berries.
He lāʻau pūnohunohu, a ke kumulāʻau haʻahaʻa (ʻumikūmālua kapuaʻi ke kiʻekiʻe loa). He lau ʻōmaʻomaʻo/melemele. ʻAno kalakala nā lau i uhi ʻia i ka heu ʻula. Luhe iho nā pua keʻokeʻo, a he hua pōpolo.
Extremely rare. This native ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi plant is only known to exist in the mesic forests of Oʻahu and Kauaʻi; however, its natural population on Oʻahu is now considered to be extinct. Luckily, seeds were harvested before the last plant died, so now there are a few plants left in cultivation and a handful planted back into the wild.
Kākaʻikahi loa kēia ʻano pōpolo. Ma ka wao akua o Oʻahu me Kauaʻi wale nō e ulu ai. Manaʻo ʻia naʻe, pau nā pōpolo o Oʻahu. ʻOhiʻohi ʻia nā ʻanoʻano o kēia ʻano pōpolo a mālama ʻia nā pulapula ma kekahi mau māla.
There are no known cultural uses for this particular plant. However, there is another more commonly known popolo plant (Solanum americanum) that is highly valued for its medicinal uses. I wouldn’t use this plant in any manner as you would the other popolo, since the translation of popolo’aiakeakua literally means “the popolo eaten by the god,” and that doesn’t sound like a good thing if you’re human.
ʻAʻole maopopo ka hana o kēia ʻano pōpolo. He lapaʻau kahi ʻano pōpolo ʻē aʻe (Solanum americanum). ʻAʻole naʻe like ka hana o kēia pōpolo. ʻO kēia ka pōpoloʻaiakeakua, no laila, ʻaʻole paha maikaʻi ka hopena ke ʻai ʻia e nā kānaka.
This is definitely a plant to have if you are into natives. It’s not often that you can have a naturally extinct plant in your garden that has a look both prehistoric and exotic. Few pests bother this plant, and it requires little watering once established. Plant it in full sun or partial shade and enjoy a true living ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi jewel.
Nani ke kanu ʻana i ka māla, ʻaʻole naʻe nui nā pōpolo o kēia ʻano i koe. ʻAʻole nui nā mū e pilikia ai kēia ʻano pōpolo, a ʻaʻole pono ka wai he nui. E kanu i kahi e pā nui ai ka lā, a i ʻole ma kahi i malu iki. Pau paha ka ulu ʻāhiu ʻana o kēia pōpolo, no laila, ma ka māla e ola mau ai.