ʻĀkia
Wikstroemia uva-ursi
Dense shrubs that either grow prostrate or sprawl up to 3-4 ft. tall. They have small oval shaped leaves, greenish-blue in color that is attached to braches which are reddish brown. When in bloom, numerous clusters of tiny yellow flowers develop which eventually turn into small orange or red fruits about ½-3/4 inch in diameter. The flowers have a very musky but distinct scent to them and can be easily smelt from a distance usually more so in the early evening.
He lāʻau lauoha kēia e ulu papa, a i ʻole e ulu pūnohunohu, ʻekolu a i ʻehā paha kapuaʻi ka lōʻihi. He mau lau liʻiliʻi oloolo, he lau ʻōmaʻomaʻo kona. Hāʻulaʻula nā lālā o ka ʻākia. ʻOhuʻohu i nā pua melemele liʻiliʻi. ʻĀlani a moano paha nā hua; he 0.5–0.75 ʻīniha ke anawaena. He mau pua kūnāhelu ko ka ʻāhia, ma ke kakahiaka a ma ka napoʻo ʻana o ka lā e kūnāhelu ai.
This endemic plant can easily be seen in numerous landscapes throughout Honolulu and the rest of the State. This plant, along with naupaka (Scaevola sericea), pohinahina (Vitex rotundifolia), and pualoalo (Hibiscus arnottianus) are among the most used native plants in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi landscapes today. Although, in the wild it is quite rare, found only in dry, open, often disturbed, lowland or coastal habitats on Kaua’i, O’ahu Molokai, and Maui where it is also reported as far inland as ‘Iao Valley.
ʻIke pinepine ʻia kēia lāʻau i ʻō a ʻō ma Honolulu a ma ka pae ʻāina e hoʻonaninani ai i nā wahi like ʻole. Kanu pinepine ʻia ka ʻākia me ka naupaka, ka pōhinahina a me ka pualoalo ma Hawaiʻi nei no ka hoʻonaninani ʻana. ʻAʻole naʻe pēlā ka ulu ʻāhiu ʻana o ka ʻākia. Ulu kākaʻikahi ka ʻākia ma kekahi mau wahi maloʻo ma kapakai ma nā mokupuni ʻo Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Molokaʻi a ma Maui (ʻōlelo ʻia ulu ʻia ka ʻākia i uka o ʻĪao.)
Many members of this genus Wikstroemia were used as a narcotic to catch fish. The bark, roots and leaves were pounded and mixed with bait and then thrown in the water to feed the fish; upon ingesting, the fish would swim in a “drunken” state which made them easier to scoop up with a net or to spear. The mashed plant parts are also used in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi spell casting and sorcery.
Kuʻi ʻia ka ʻili, nā aʻa, me nā lau o ka ʻākia a hoʻohui ʻia i ka palu e lilo ai i pōpō ʻauhuhu. Ke ʻai ʻia e ka iʻa, hele a ʻona ka iʻa. Maʻalahi ka ʻō a hopu ʻia ʻana paha. Hoʻohana ʻia nō hoʻi ka ʻākia i ka ʻoihana ʻanāʻanā.
This plant has proven itself over the years as one of the best landscape plants for Hawaiʻi’s environment, not just among native species but even non-native. They’re extremely hardy, requiring very little water and grow slow enough so that you don’t need to maintain them as much once they reach their desired height. Few pests if any bother ‘akia and their bright colors when in fruit make this plant even more attractive than normal. If you need a low hedge about 3 ft tall or a colorful accent plant that is easily shaped, then ‘akia is for you.
ʻO ka ʻākia ka lāʻau maʻalahi o ka maʻalahi e kanu ai i ka māla no ka hoʻonaninani ʻana. ʻAʻole nō nui ka wai e pono ai kēia lāʻau, a ʻaʻole nō ulu wikiwiki loa, no laila ʻaʻole ana nui ka paʻipaʻi ʻana i ka ʻākia. ʻAʻole nui nā mū e ʻai i ka ʻākia, a nani loa nā waihoʻoluʻu o nā hua. Inā pono kahi lāʻau hiehie e ulu pūnohunohu ai, he ʻekolu kapuaʻi, e hoʻāʻo i ke kanu ʻana i ka ʻākia.
People often ask if the attractive fruit are poisonous and if they should worry about kids or pets eating them. From what I’ve heard it’s the stem, leaves and roots that make the fish narcotic not so much the attractive fruit and it only affects cold-blooded animals anyway. I’ve also seen birds eat the fruits daily with no ill effects and the fruit taste so bad that any human who put it in their mouth would immediately spit it out, you can trust me on that, its terrible.
ʻUpu nui ka nīnau no ka pilikia ʻana o nā keiki a i ʻole holoholona hānai ke ʻai i nā hua o ka ʻākia. ʻO kaʻu i lohe mai, ʻo ka ʻau, nā lau, a me nā aʻa nā māhele i hoʻohana nui ʻia no ka pōpō ʻauhuhu; ʻaʻole paha i hoʻohana nui ʻia nā hua. Pilikia wale nō nā holoholona “koko huʻihuʻi” i ka ʻai ʻana i kēia pōpō ʻauhuhu. ʻIke au i nā manu e ʻai ana i kēia mau hua, a ʻaʻole i pilikia. ʻAwaʻawa loa nā hua, a kuha koke nō paha kekahi ke hoʻāʻo e ʻai.