Hao
Rauvolfia sandwicensis
These plants are one of a few native plants related to Plumeria, which is not native. They are gorgeous trees which can reach heights up to 30 ft. but generally are in the 5- 15 ft. range with great looking elliptical leaves that form whorls of up to seven leaves per node. Each leaf has smooth margins, is bright green with a yellow mid-rib and is about five inches in length. The flowers are very tiny, white and emerge on clusters just like Plumeria and have a fragrance very similar to it; surprisingly they are very easy to smell considering how small they are. Once pollinated, the flowers will form small fruit about ¾ of an inch across which eventually turn dark purple/black when ripe. The outer bark is a very light tan as is the inner wood which is very hard hence the name “hao” which is also the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi word for iron or any iron tool. Like the Plumeria, hao also bleeds a milky sap when either leaves or stems are broken.
Ma ke ao akeakamai, he ʻohana kēia lāʻau no ka pua melia (he lāʻau haole nō ia no ka ʻāina ʻē). He mau kumulāʻau nani ka hao a hiki ke ulu kiʻekiʻe, kanakolu kapuaʻi ke kiʻekiʻe. ʻO ka maʻamau naʻe; ʻelima a ʻumikūmālima kapuaʻi ke kiʻekiʻe. He mau lau nani oloolo. ʻŌmaʻomaʻo ka lau, akā ʻano melemele ka iwi o ka lau. Liʻiliʻi loa nā pua o ka hao, he pua keʻokeʻo kohu pua melia. ʻAno like hoʻi ke ʻala o ka pua hao me ka pua melia. He hua ʻeleʻele liʻiliʻi, 0.75 ʻīniha. Hāʻulaʻula ka ʻili a me ka lāʻau o ka hao. Ke haki ka lālā a i ʻole ka lau, e like me ka melia, kulu ka wai keʻokeʻo.
This is an uncommon tree most likely found in mesic forests but occasionally lower dry forests on all of the larger islands except Kaho’olawe, although it may have well occurred there in the past.
Ulu kākaʻikahi ka hao i ka wao maʻukele. I kekahi wā, ulu ma ka wao maloʻo. Ulu ma nā mokupuni a pau o ka pae ʻāina, koe ʻo Kahoʻolawe. Ma laila nō hoʻi paha ma ka wā kahiko.
Hao look great anywhere and if more were available I’m sure you would see it more often, its sad that more people are familiar with its non-native cousin the Plumeia. You could plant it as a specimen plant or use it to fill blank spaces, they thrive in full sun to light shade and require minimal watering once established. You can pretty much plant it anywhere you would normally plant a Plumeria. Few pests bother it since most don’t like their milky sap. Personally I think this plant is awesome; I love the way it looks as well as the beauty it adds to the landscape.
E aho e kanu i ka hao ma kahi o ka melia haole. E kanu kū hoʻokahi a kanu nui paha. Ikaika kēia lāʻau i ka ʻāina e pā nui ai ka lā, a ʻaʻole pono ka wai he nui. E like me ke kanu ʻana i ka melia, pēlā nō e kanu ai i ka hao.
This is one of a few native plants related to Plumeria which are in the family Apocynacea, the other native plants in this family include maile (Alyxia oliviformis) which is still faily common; holei (Ochrosia spp.) which is very rare; and kaulu (Pteralyxia spp.) which is very, very rare.
ʻO kēia ka melia maoli o kēia pae ʻāina. Ma ke ao akeakamai, he lāʻau kēia no ka ʻohana Apocynacea, a ʻo kekahi mau lāʻau ʻē aʻe no kēia pae ʻāina, ʻo ia ka maile (Alyxia oliviformis); hōlei (Ochrosia spp.) [kākaʻikahi]; me ke kaulu (Pteralyxia spp.) [kākaʻikahi loa].