Nanea
Vigna mariana
An herbaceous plant that becomes woody towards the base; it can either crawl along the ground or grow up a fence or trellis. One leaf is composed of three oval leaflets about three inches in length each attached to very long running stems. They have pea type flowers which are bright yellow, about an inch wide and are arranged in clusters of 1-6 flowers. Once pollinated, pods develop with 2-10 small, reddish-brown seeds that are about a 1/4 inch long.
He lāʻau hihi ka nanea e kolo ma ka lepo a ma ke one, a hihi paha i luna o nā lāʻau ʻē aʻe. Pākolu nā lau e ulu ma nā kā lōʻihi. He mau pua melemele kohu mamane. He wahī ʻanoʻano ko ka nanea (ʻelua a ʻumi ʻanoʻano pāpapa liʻiliʻi o loko).
This indigenous plant is found throughout the tropics, in Hawaiʻi, it is found on O’ahu, Kaua’i, Maui, Molokai and the Big Island. Its natural habitat is sandy coasts where it is often crawling through other natives such as naupaka kahakai (Scaevola sericea), pohinahina (Vitex rotundifolia), ‘aki’aki grass (Sporabolus virginicus) and pohuehue (Ipomea pes-caprae); sometimes it occurs on sea cliffs and dry slopes.
Ulu ka nanea i ʻō a ʻō ma Moananuiākea. Ma kēia pae ʻāina, ulu ma Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, Maui, Molokaʻi a ma ka moku ʻo Hawaiʻi. Ulu ma kahakai a hihi paha ma luna o nā lāʻau ʻē aʻe, e laʻa ka naupaka, ka pōhinahina, ka ʻakiʻaki, a ma ka pōhuehue. I kekahi wā, ulu ma nā pali kahakai, a ma nā ihona maloʻo.
The flowers of nanea are beautiful enough and seem strong enough for use in lei, as well as the seeds.
Kuku ʻia ka ʻili o ka māmaki i kapa i ka wā i loaʻa ʻole ai ka wauke. Hoʻokū ʻia nā lau mamaki i kī.
If you need a fast growing ground cover, nanea’s for you! But be careful of what you wish for because it really does grow quickly. Plant one every 2 ft. to get a nice full cover, it even does great on slopes to control erosion and the flowers add great color when in bloom which is pretty much continuous. Every other day watering is ok but you should reduce the watering schedule once established, the plant will be hardier and tougher. Nanea prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade, watch out for spider mites will discolor and eventually defoliate the plant. They should be treated with a pesticide specifically for mites.
He lāʻau ulu wikiwiki ka nanea. Inā pono ka uhi ʻana i ka lepo, e aho e kanu i ka nanea. I ke kanu ʻana, ʻelua paha kōwā ma waena o nā lāʻau. ʻAno ikaika nā aʻa no ka hoʻopaʻa ʻana i nā ihona, a pua mau ka nanea. E hāinu paha i kēlā me kēia ʻelua lā a hiki i ka paʻa ʻana o nā aʻa, a laila e hoʻēmi i ka hāinu ʻana. E kanu i ka nanea i kahi e pā nui ai ka lā. I kekahi wā, pilikia ka nanea i nā ona nananana.
This plant goes by several different ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi names depending on what island or region thereof. Other names include: nenea, mohihihi, puhili, puhilihili, pulihilihi, wahine ‘oma’o and my favorites: lemuomakili and ‘okolemakili which means cracked buttocks.
He mau inoa ko ka nanea: nenea, mohihihi, pūhili, pūhilihili, pūlihilihi, wahineʻōmaʻo, lemuomakili, a ʻōkolemakili.