Koʻoloa ʻula
Abutilon menziesii
The dense shrubs grow 4 to 8 feet tall with light green foliage. Leaves and branches are somewhat velvety to the touch. The plant’s most appealing feature is its flowers which range from dark maroon to bright yellow, and can be strung into stunning lei. The flowers, which are about 1- to 1-1/2 inches wide, emerge from the leaf axis and hang upside down. Flowers, sometimes hundreds of them simultaneously, bloom throughout the year. If enough flowers are gathered, a subtle, but sweet fragrance is noticeable.
He mau lāʻau pūnohunohu; ʻehā a ʻewalu kapuaʻi ke kiʻekiʻe. He weleweka ke ʻano ke pā mai nā lau a me nā lālā. Kohu nō ke koʻoloa ʻula me ka ʻilima. ʻO ka ʻokoʻa naʻe, he mau pua ʻula i kui ʻia i lei. Luhe iho nā pua koʻoloa ʻula. Inā nui loa nā pua koʻoloa ʻula, he ʻano onaona nō i honi ʻia.
This native ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi plant is found sparingly in dry forests of Lānaʻi, East Maui, and the Big Island. A previously undocumented population was discovered in 1981 in an abandoned sugarcane field in Ewa, on Oʻahu.
Ulu kākaʻikahi ke koʻoloa ʻula ma ka wao maloʻo o Lānaʻi, Maui Hikina, a me ka moku ʻo Hawaiʻi. ʻIke ʻia kekahi mau koʻoloa ʻula ma ʻEwa, Oʻahu i kekahi ʻāina mahikō kahiko i ka M.H. 1981.
This is a definite must-have for any plant collector or weekend warrior gardener. Ko’oloa’ula thrives in full sun and dry areas. Watering is OK, but it is best to soak the ground and avoid watering again until the soil dries completely.
If your garden is prone to rose beetles, place this plant in an area that is lighted at night. This should prevent any damage this pest might cause.
ʻAno maʻalahi ka mālama ʻana i ke koʻoloa ʻula. E kanu i kahi e pā nui ai ka lā, a i kahi maloʻo. No ka hāinu ʻana, e hoʻopulu i ka honua, a kali a hiki i ka maloʻo ʻana o ka lepo ma muli o ka hāinu hou ʻana. Inā pilikia ka māla i ka puʻu ʻai loke, e kanu i kahi ʻano mālamalama i ka pō. He ʻano pale ka mālamalama i ka puʻu ʻai loke.
The endangered status is a result of this plant’s natural habitat has been reduced to 5% in the entire state of Hawaiʻi.