ʻĀkulikuli
Sesuvium portulacastrum
The akulikuli plant is a very low crawling ground cover. It has very succulent green leaves with bright red stems and purplish pink flowers.
He kā ulu papa ka ʻākulikuli. He mau lau piha i ka ʻae. ʻUlaʻula nā kā o ka ʻākulikuli a he mau pua ʻākala kona.
Akulikuli is an indigenous coastal ground cover found on all ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Islands as well as other islands in the Pacific. They grow on both rocky and sandy beaches or around estuaries and marshes
Ua laha ka ʻākulikuli i kapakai ma nā mokupuni a pau o kēia pae ʻāina. Ulu nō hoʻi ma kekahi mau mokupuni ʻē aʻe ma Moananuiākea. ʻAʻole nō nānā nui ka ʻākulikuli i kahi e ulu ai; ulu ma ke one, ma ka pāhoehoe, ma ka muli wai, a ma ka naele.
The flowers as well as the leaves and branches can be strung into lei. The leaves can also be eaten but have a rather salty taste to them, more so they were used as roughage in pig feed.
Wili a kui ʻia nā pua, nā lau a me nā kā i lei. Hiki ke ʻai i nā lau, ʻano mikomiko. Ua hoʻohui ʻia ka ʻākulikuli me ka ʻai e hānai ai i nā puaʻa.
Akulikuli is a very drought, wind and salt tolerant plant. It makes a great ground cover for any garden and does best with lots of sun. In its natural setting, akulikuli forms dense a mat and its leaves look like they are ready to pop because they are so succulent. This look can be achieved in the landscape by reducing the watering schedule once plant is established. Otherwise if the plant is watered too regularly it will grow quickly, but its leaves will not be as succulent.
ʻAʻole nō pilikia ka ʻākulikuli i ka wā maloʻo, i ka makani, a i ke ehu kai. Maikaʻi ke kanu i ka lā, a ulu papa a uhi paʻa i ka lepo. Ma ka nānā ʻana i nā ʻākulikuli ʻāhiu, hāliʻi akula ka ʻākulikuli, a momona nō nā lau. Inā pēlā ka makemake ma ka māla, mai hāinu nui i ka ʻākulikuli. ʻAʻole nō e piha ana nā lau i ka ʻae i ka nui o ka wai.