ʻAlaʻala wai nui
Peperomia blanda
A low growing very succulent plant that grows up to about 10 inches tall with fleshy, light green stems, dark green leaves that have a semi-rough texture, sometimes reddish-pink streaks are found on the underside of the leaves. They have tiny insignificant flowers that rise up above the rest of the plant on short soft flowering stalks and once pollinated they form slightly adhesive, poppy-seed looking seeds that cover the stalk.
He lāʻau haʻahaʻa ia, ʻumi ʻīniha wale nō ka lōʻihi o nā kā. He mau kā uliuli, a pēlā nō hoʻi nā lau. Ma kekahi mau ʻano, kīheʻaheʻa ʻo lalo o nā lau. He mau pua hunehune e pua ana i luna o nā kā. A ke hua, he mau ʻanoʻano kohu ʻanoʻano pua kala e uhi ana i ka hā o ka pua.
In Hawai’i, this indigenous plant is found in numerous types of environments from dry rocky areas in full sun to shadier mesic forests. In many cases, they can be found growing on mossy rocks under larger trees. Once I even seen this species of ‘ala’alawainui growing directly on an asphalt road and to tell you the truth it was one of the nicest examples I’ve ever seen because it formed a nice dense mat-like covering, it was very cool. Today this plant exists naturally on all of the main ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Islands except Kaho’olawe although it most likely occurred there in the past.
Ma Hawaiʻi nei, ulu ka ʻalaʻala wai nui i nā wahi like ʻole. Ma ka ʻāina pōhaku ʻano maloʻo, i ka ʻāina mānā, a ma ka wao nahele. ʻO ka maʻamau, ulu ka ʻalaʻala wai nui ma luna o nā pōhaku a ma lalo paha o nā kumulāʻau. ʻIke ʻia nō hoʻi kēia ʻano o ka ʻalaʻala wai nui e ulu ana ma kahi o ke ala nui, a ma laila i ulu papa ai a hāliʻi ihola i kapa ala nui. I kēia wā, ulu ʻāhiu ka ʻalaʻala wai nui ma nā mokupuni a pau o ka pae ʻāina; koe ʻo Kahoʻolawe, akā ulu ʻāhiu nō paha ma laila ma ka wā kahiko.
A rich, gray dye for dying kapa can be made from the ashes of this plant.
He wai ʻāhiehie ko ka ʻalaʻala wai nui ke hoʻoluʻu i nā lehu o ka lāʻau.
This plant looks great as an accent plant around large landscape stones or as a bedding plant. Full sun is ok but partial shade is better. In full sun, ‘Ala’alawainui will require a little more water than if in partial shade. When used as a bedding plant, space them approximately one foot apart since this plant doesn’t spread too far. Few pests are known to bother this plant, but I have seen slugs munch on the young off shoots.
He lāʻau kēia e hoʻonaninani i nā pōhaku nui. A he nani nō hoʻi ma ka ulu papa ʻana. Hiki ke kanu ʻia ma ka lā, akā ʻoi aku ke kanu ʻana i lalo o ka malu. Ke kanu ʻia i kahi e pā nui ai ka lā, ʻaʻohe malu, e hoʻonui iki ka wai ma ka hāinu ʻana. No ke kanu ʻana e ulu papa ai, e hoʻokaʻawale i nā kā hoʻokahi kapuaʻi. ʻAʻole nui nā mū e ʻai i kēia lāʻau akā, ʻai nō nā kamaloli i nā kawowo o ka ʻalaʻala wai nui.