Like the more common lama (Diospyros sandwicensis), ēlama has separate tiny male and female flowers on separate trees. (Photographs of flower buds (female, I think) and leaves, and new leaves (in header) courtesy of Kenneth R. Wood (NTBG) CC BY-NC 4.0.) Ēlama puts out a flush of several pink leaves at its stem-tips that make the entire tree an amazing sight (Photograph courtesy of Kevin Faccenda CC BY 4.0.). In contrast to D. sandwicensis, ēlama has a beautiful reticulate pattern on its leaf surfaces (Photograph courtesy of Hubert Szczygieł CC BY_NC 4.0.). My pride and joy: an ēlama seedling after about ten months under my indoor care. 

Growth Requirements

General

    My (Koebele) experiences with Diosyros hillebrandii are limited to two young in-the-ground cultivated trees, one cultivated seedling, and my field observations of wild plants. I planted the two young trees at former workplaces (i.e., The Cultural Learning Center at Ka‘ala in Wai‘anae [about 500 ft elevation]; Leeward Community College in Pearl City [about 50 ft elevation]; both sites would be classified as lowland dry habitat), and, unfortunately, both died sometime after I ended my employment at each, and before I could see their first flowers (i.e., about four years). My D. hillebrandii seedling is currently (2025) in my condominium under LED lamps (see photograph above). Despite these very limited observations, I believe ēlama, with its exceedingly beautiful leaves, has great potential as an addition to any landscape, and possibly, as an indoor plant. Below is what I know about growing this species to date. 

    Like Diospyros sandwicensis, D. hillebrandii is a beautiful but slow-growing tree. We recommend using it in a landscape as an accent, or, if you are very patient, a shade tree. Planted en masse, five to ten feet apart, it could be used as an informal screen. Ēlama will become root-bound and stunted in a container. Therefore, if you intend to place your ēlama in the ground, do so when it is still small (about 12 inches [30 cm] or less tall) because: (1) it will grow faster in the ground than in a container; and (2) the wiry taproot will spiral in the pot, making it more difficult for the roots to grow properly and the tree to survive when it is finally planted in the ground.

    Both Diospyros sandwicensis and D. hillebrandii are normally dioecious (separate pollen-producing and fruit-producing trees). Therefore, if your goal is to have a tree loaded with colorful (and edible) fruit, you will need to plant more than one and be lucky enough to have at least one male tree and one female tree.

    My two in-the-ground Diospyros hillebrandii did fine in sites with full sunlight for about six hours and diffuse sunlight for the rest of the day. Both were planted in soils composed of clay, rocks, and organic matter; the soils drained water quickly. I always kept the soil moist by watering every few days since rainfall at both sites was insufficient to do this. When first planted, I shaded the two seedlings with a DIY umbrella for about three months until I saw new growth (i.e., new leaves), and then removed the umbrella. 

    Both my in-the-ground ēlama grew slowly; less than one foot (30 cm) each year, but did well (i.e., no pests or diseases) until I left them to the care of others (i.e., for about four years). I never fertilized these two ēlama, although, in hindsight, I probably should have; see recommendation on Diospyros sandwicensis page. I regularly fertilize my indoor ēlama seedling; see The Magic of LEDs. Unfortunately, neither of the young trees had flowered before I last saw them. 

Pests and Diseases

    My three cultivated ēlama were never attacked by any type of pest or disease while under my care. And, unfortunately, I do not know why or how they died. However, I suspect I was just lucky, and that Diospyros hillebrandii is susceptible to the same pests and diseases as D. sandwicensis. Below is a repost of my description of D. sandwicensis Pests and Diseases.

    As previously mentioned, lama can be attacked by a small eriophyid mite that causes the tree to produce finely branched growths on the branches [Gardner]. However, we have yet to see this happen to a cultivated tree. Watch for mealybugs on the roots and scale insects on the stems, usually accompanied by ants, on young lama. Chinese rose beetles and other chewing insects can periodically disfigure lama leaves. (Lama leaves are long-lived, so this damage is more noticeable than on plants with short-lived leaves.) Black twig borers can also sometimes become a problem, particularly in wetter windless sites. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for ways to deal with each of these insect pests. Recently, we have seen cultivated lama infested with lobate lac scale (Paratachardina pseudolobata), an alien scale insect first appearing in Hawai‘i in 2012. This is a particularly nasty pest, and the full impact it might have on lama in the wild is yet unknown. In the landscape, we have combated this pest by repeatedly spraying the tree with horticultural oil and drenching its roots with a systemic insecticide. 

Special Features and Information

General

    Ebenaceae is a family of trees and shrubs with about 768 species within four genera distributed across the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world [WikipediA;Ebenaceae].    

    There are about 500 species in the genus Diospyros. Notable genus members include species prized for their beautiful wood, such as the black wood of the Ceylon ebony (D. ebenum) and the striped wood of the makassar (D. celebica). Other relatives have edible fruit such as the delicious Japanese persimmon or kaki (D. kaki), and the highly nutritious American persimmon (D. virginiana) [Britannia;Diospyros].

    While Diospyros hillebrandii is only found on Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, D. sandwicensis, a more widespread sister species, is endemic to all the main Hawaiian Islands except Niʻihau and Kahoʻolawe [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands]. Both species have the same Hawaiian names, ēlama and lama.

Hawaiian Name

    According to Pukui & Elbert [1986], ēlama is another name for lama, the ebony tree. However, lama, like many Hawaiian words, has multiple meanings. In addition to being the name for two closely related endemic trees, Diospyros sandwicensis and D. hillebrandii, lama also means "torch, light, and flame" [Krauss 1993]. As in English, this meaning was extended to suggest enlightenment, as in the learning of hula. The Kapiʻolani Community College Library on Oʻahu is named Lama, while a section of Honolulu, a school, and a canal are all named Kapālama, meaning "the lama wood enclosure," a place where high chiefs were protected. Additionally, a street and a second section of Honolulu are named Pālama, meaning "lama wood enclosure" [Pukui et al. 1976].

Etymology

    Diospyros is derived from the Greek words, dios, meaning "god" or "divine," and pyros, meaning "wheat" or "grain," together meaning the "divine fruit" or "fruit of the gods" [Adkins Arboretum]. 

    The species name honors William Hillebrand (1821–1886), a Prussian physician and plant collector who lived in Hawai‘i. Hillebrand planted many of the plants he collected at Queen's Hospital and on his own property in Nuʻuanu, O‘ahu. After moving back to Germany, the property was sold to his neighbors, Thomas & Mary Foster. Today, the site is known as Foster Botanical Gardens [Meier 2005].