|
Common Name
Hawaiian Cotton
|
Hawaiian Name
Ma'o
|
Scientific Name
Gossypium tomentosum
|
| Kalama
 |
Whole
Plant
 |
| Fruits
 |
Leaves
|
| This plant is located
in the Kalama garden. |
| Ma'o
is found on every island except on the Big Island. It
can survive in very dry climate. It lives in lowland
areas. |
| The Ma‘o
plant is endemic to Hawai‘i. The cotton on the
plant had no known use to the ancient Hawaiians. |
|
Stem:
|
- It can spread from
5-10 cm in diameter.
|
|
Leaves:
|
- About 4 cm wide
- Hairs on the leaves
that give it a silverish-green look
- Lobed margin
|
|
Flowers:
|
- Solitary
- Bright yellow color
- Look like those of
the hibiscus
- About 2-3 cm long
|
|
Fruit:
|
- Oval and woody
- Size range from 0.5-0.75
cm long
|
|
Seeds:
|
- 6-12 seeds
- Enclosed in a three
part capsule
- Covered in a reddish
brown fuzz
|
|
Life Cycle/ Reproduction:
|
- Matures in about
2-3 years
|
|
Propagation/ Cultivation:
|
- Seeds should be scarified
- Needs water when
it sprouts
- Put it somewhere
sunny
|
|
Interesting facts:
|
- Ma'o is being bred
with other cotton to make a much better species
- Resistant to many
plant diseases
|
| Gossypium
This site shows the
picture of the flower for the plant Ma‘o. |
| Malavace
This site has more information
on the plant. |
| Ma‘o
Hawaiian Cotton
This site shows where
you can learn how to grow the plant, where it can be
found, and many other interesting facts. |
| Bornhorst,
Heidi Leianuenue. Growing Native Plants. Honolulu:
The Bess Press, Inc., 1996. |
| Pukui,
Mary Kawena and Samuel H. Elbert. Hawaiian Dictionary.
Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 1971. |
| Rauch, Fred
D. and Paul R. Weissich. Plants for Tropical Landscapes.
Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2000 |
| Scott, Susan.
Plants and Animals in Hawaii. Honolulu: The Bess
Press, 1991. |
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