Endemic Indigenous Polynesian
Introduced Introduced *endangered
species
Keawe Garden Whole Plant Leaves Branch
This plant is located
by Keawe Gym in the garden in front of the dorms.
Kauila is extremely rare
and only found on the Big Island and on O'ahu, growing on
the dry leeward slopes of North Kona and on the Wai'anae
mountains. Kauila grows in dry to moist forests and is usually
found by other plants like the lama.
Kauila is native endemic
to Hawaii, meaning it came to these islands by natural forces
and can only be found here, not anywhere else in the world.
Now this tree is almost extinct and can only be found on
two islands, but was once used for many things by the ancient
Hawaiians. Most of the Kauila plants have gotten to be extinct
were that most of them have been killed off by brush fires.
Using the hard, strong wood from the Kauila, the Hawaiians
would construct heavy tools such as kapa mallets, poles,
weapons, and fishing tools. There are two species of Kauila,
this one, the Colubrina oppositifolia, and the Alphitonia
ponderosa, which isn't as rare.
Other
Interesting Facts:
Hawaiian
Native Plant Propagation Database Environment
Hawaii Hawaii's
Unique And Vanishing Flora
Culliney, John L.,
and Bruce P. Koebele. A Native Hawaiian Garden.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999. Hawaiian Native
Plant Propagation Database. 14 Dec. 2001. College
of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources University
of Hawaii at Manoa. 13 March 2003. <http://www2.hawaii.edu/~eherring/hawnprop/col-oppo.htm>. Krauss, Beatrice H.
Plants in Hawaiian Culture. Honolulu: University
of Hawaii Press, 1995. Lamb, Samuel H. Native
Trees and Shrubs of the Hawaiian Islands. New Mexico:
Sunstone Press, 1981. Wagner, Warren L.,
Derral R. Herbst, and S.H Sohmer. Manual of the Flowering
Plants of Hawaii. Vol. 2. Honolulu: University of
Hawaii Press,1999. Ziegler,
Morjorie. "Kauila" Environment Hawaii. July 2001.
Kauila
None
Colubrina oppositifolia
Reproduction:
Cultivation:
This web site has more information about the propagation
of the Kauila plant.
This site has an article with information about where the
Kauila is found and how it survives there.
In this website you will find a picture of the Kauila and
a description of the plant.
Return to
Top
Web page created by Kamehameha Middle School Koa Team Students: Kehau and Mara |
© Kamehameha Schools. All rights reserved. Statements of Privacy, Copyright, and Disclaimer. |