Puʻukaʻa
Cyperus trachysanthos
Puukaa are beautiful sedges with long, graceful leaf blades that are very narrow and light green in color. The plant will reach a height of a little over three feet tall and it sends out short rhizomes to form dense tufts rather than long runners so they don’t spread too far. Within these long leaf blades emerges a tall stalk with several round clusters of spikelets (cyperus form of flowers) on top, as seen in the photo. These stalks will stand out taller than the rest of the plant and are an attractive feature.
He ʻano mauʻu ka puʻukaʻa. Lōʻihi a wīwī nā lau. ʻEkolu paha kapuaʻi ka lōʻihi o ka puʻukaʻa, a ʻano mānoanoa ka pū. He mau pua ʻoiʻoi e like me ka mea e ʻike ʻia ma ke kiʻi. Kū kēia mau pua ma ka iwi pua lōʻihi.
This federally listed endangered species is endemic to Hawaiʻi and was once found on the islands of Niʻihau, Molokai, Lana’i, Oʻahu and Kauaʻi but is now believed to only exist on the latter two. In the wild it is found in wetter conditions like pond margins or seasonal marshes.
He lāʻau ʻāpaʻakuma kēia no Niʻihau, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi me Lānaʻi. I kēia mau lā naʻe, ma Kauaʻi me Oʻahu wale nō e ulu ai i kahi o nā loko me ka naele.
This plant can be placed in or around water features as well as in the soil as long as it is watered regularly. Pruning of dead leaves keeps this plant looking full and beautiful. It looks great when planted along side rock features or as an accent combined with plants like groundcovers or other plants from which it can “burst” up out of. Pu’uka’a can also be added to dry floral arrangements to add some real flair. Few pests bother this plant but occasionally you may find some aphids on the new shoots, these can be taken care of simply by running your fingers up the leaf. Be careful though because the leaf blades are so slender that once they are bent and creased they won’t perk back up.
E kanu paha i ka puʻu kaʻa ma kahi o ka wai. Pono ka puʻukaʻa i ka wai. Ke mae nā lau, e paʻipaʻi paha i nani ai ka pū. Nani ke kanu ʻana ma kahi o nā pōhaku a ma kahi o nā lāʻau kolo ʻē aʻe. Hiki ke hoʻokomo i ka puʻukaʻa i kahi pōkē pua no ka hoʻonaninani ʻana. ʻAʻole nō nui nā mū e pilikia ai ka puʻukaʻa. I kekahi wā, pilikia i nā ʻeleao. Ke ʻike ʻia nā ʻeleao, e kī i ka wai, a pepehi paha i ka lima. E makaʻala naʻe i ka pepehi ʻana, ʻoiai, ʻaʻole ikaika loa nā lau.
One of the few remnant populations of this plant was at a place called Kealakipapa more commonly known as Allen Davis or the place where everyone parks to hike up to the Makapu’u lighthouse, the reason I say was is because recently this area fell victim to a brush fire that burned approximately 50 acres of land including the vernal pond in which this plant lived and numerous other native plants. Hopefully this population has not become extinct.
Ua ulu ka puʻukaʻa ma Kealakipapa (i kaulana i kēia wā ma ka inoa ʻo Allen Davis, ma Makapuʻu). ʻO ia paha kahi hope e ulu mau ai. Ua puhi ʻia paha i ke ahi i kekahi mau makahiki aku nei. Manaʻolana ʻia, ʻaʻole nō pau i ka puhi ʻia.