ʻĀnapanapa produces small star-like flowers at its leaf axils (Photograph courtesy of Darren Embro CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.) that develop into hard green capsules turning dry and brown to black when ripe. Each capsule contains one to three shiny brown seeds (Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr CC BY 3.0 US.). An unusually large ʻānapanapa near the shoreline at Wailea, Maui, along with some ʻohai (Sesbania tomentosa) (Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr CC BY 3.0 US.). Two cultivated Colubrina asiatica; one in a landscape and the other in a container (Container plant photograph courtesy of Raffi Kojian CC BY-SA 3.0 (Gardenology.org).).

Growth Requirements

General

    ʻĀnapanapa is an easy-to-grow plant — aggressively so in some situations — that you can use as an accent in a landscape, or, planted en masse (about three feet [1 m] apart), as a tall groundcover, hedge, or screen. It has also been used to control erosion on slopes or loose soils (e.g., sandy soils). Lastly, it can be kept in a container (see photograph above), but such plants require regular pruning.  

    ʻĀnapanapa does best in a site with full sunlight for all or most of the day. However, it can also tolerate shading but will not grow as lush under such reduced lighting. Water your newly-planted ʻānapanapa regularly (i.e., once a week) for about a month until its roots are established and you see new growth. Then, because ʻānapanapa is adapted to xeric environments, stop watering except perhaps during a period of prolonged drought. Somewhat surprisingly, ʻānapanapa will also grow in wetter places, sometimes too quickly, and because of their sprawling behavior, can climb over and smother nearby plants, native or otherwise. Perhaps, the only thing ʻānapanapa has trouble with is waterlogged soils, so avoid planting your plant(s) in a site where the rain puddles.

    As already mentioned, ʻānapanapa is a fast-growing plant under most conditions. It also matures quickly, and you can expect to see flowers and fruits (i.e., capsules) within a year of planting. These hardy plants seem to have no to minimal fertilizer requirements when placed in the ground. If kept in a container, you should apply either a controlled-release fertilizer every 6 to 12 months, or foliar feed with an organic or inorganic water-soluble fertilizer diluted to ⅓ to ¼ the recommended strength every three or four months. ʻĀnapanapa is tolerant of extreme heat, drought, strong winds, and salt spray. It is also not fussy about soil type and will grow in sandy or coralline soils (perhaps best), but also in cinder/lava, clay, and organic-dominant soils; it will even grow in soils permeated with some sea salt.

    Anticipate regular pruning of your ʻānapanapa in landscape settings to prevent it from overwhelming the space and other nearby plants. This is best done by hand to preserve a clean appearance. Where ʻānapanapa is planted exclusively for erosion control, such as hillsides and stream banks, it can be left uncontrolled.

Pests and Diseases

    ʻĀnapanapa has few pests and no diseases in our experience. Occasionally, sap-sucking pests like aphids, mealybugs, or scale insects will infest ʻānapanapa, most often near its growing tips. These are often imported and protected by ants. If the infestation doesn't disappear on its own (because of natural predators), refer to the Pests & Diseases page for ways to deal with the problem.

Special Features and Information

General

    Rhamnaceae is a large family of mostly trees and shrubs (and some vines) with about 950 species within 55 genera. They have a worldwide distribution and are most common in tropical and subtropical regions [WikipediA;Rhamnaceae]. 

    In addition to Colubrina asiatica, other native members of the Buckthorn family include: the endangered endemic kauila or kauwila (Colubrina oppositifolia); the other endemic kauila, kauwila, or oʻa (Alphitonia ponderosa); and three endangered endemic species of Gouania [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands].    

Hawaiian Name

    ʻĀnapanapa is also the Hawaiian name for a small edible red seaweed or limu loloa (Gelidium spp.) in Hawai‘i. ʻĀnapanapa is a reduplication of the Hawaiian word ʻanapa which means "to sparkle or shine," possibly referring to the shiny leaves of ʻānapanapa. Kolokolo is the name of this plant on Niʻihau. Kukuku means "pimply or pimpled" [Pukui & Elbert 1986].

Etymology

    Colubrina is derived from the Latin word coluber, meaning "snake" or "like a serpent," referring to the snake-like stems or stamens [Quattrocchi 2000]. The species name, asiatica, is Latin for "connected with Asia," referring to an Asian origin [Latdict].