ʻAkaʻakai
Schoenoplectella tabernae-montani
Green onion on steroids is what they look like, but really they’re tall native bulrushes.
Kohu kēia me ka ʻakaʻakai lau ʻōmaʻomaʻo nui, akā he maʻau ʻōiwi i lōʻihi loa. Ma muli paha o nā hiʻohiʻona like, kapa nā kūpuna i nā mea kanu hou he ʻakaʻakai.
Used to make quick temporary mats as well as to be layered to soften bedding.
Ulana ʻia nā iwi o ka pua i mau moena kūikawā. Hoʻāhu ʻia no ka hoʻopalupalu ʻana i kahi e moe ai.
Looks great in water features and has few pests. Full sun with moderate water is best.
Ulu kēia i loko o ka wai. ʻAʻole nō nui nā mū e ʻai i ka ʻakaʻakai. Kanu i loko o ka lā, a hāinu maʻamau inā ʻaʻole kanu ʻia i loko o kahi loko.
Don’t be confused! It’s not the rush you see growing in numerous wetlands like Kawainui. That one is S. californicus, an invasive rush that outcompetes native plants and chokes out wetlands, restricting the foraging range of endangered wetland birds.
Mai kuhihewa! ʻAʻole nō ka ʻakaʻakai ʻo ka mauʻu e ulu lupalupa ma ka naele, e laʻa ʻo Kawainui. ʻO ia nō ʻo S. californicus, he mauʻu haole nō ia e ʻaihue nei i ka ʻāina o ka mauʻu ʻōiwi a e hoʻēmi i ka naele. He pilikia nō hoʻi ia i nā manu o ka naele.