Euphorbia haeleeleana
Euphorbiaceae or Spurge family
Synonyms: None
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No known ancient Hawaiian name
ʻAkoko (see Hawaiian Name below)
Kaua‘i spurge
Natural Range & Environment
K (Ku`ia Valley; Mahanaloa Valley; Ha`ele`ele Valley; Waimea Canyon) at 284 to 1,178 m (931 to 3,866 ft) / O (Wa: Kaluakauila Gulch) 156 to 586 m (512 to 1,922 ft)
Euphorbia haeleeleana is known historically from northwestern Kauai and the Waianae mountains of Oahu. Currently, on Oahu this species occurs in the Waianae mountains at Kaluakauila and Kaimuhole gulch. On Kauai, there are occurrences at Kalalau, Kuia, Hipalau, Hanakapiai, and Poopooiki valley.
Euphorbia haeleeleana has male flowers (upper photograph courtesy of Flora of the Hawaiian Islands ©) and female flowers (lower photograph courtesy of Kenneth R. Wood (NTBG) CC BY-NC 4.0) on separate trees. These large round immature fruits will dry and then explode when fully ripe; note the latex-like sap emerging from the uppermost capsule (Photograph courtesy of Kenneth R. Wood (NTBG) CC BY-NC 4.0.). The large elliptic leaves of E. haeleeleana typically have a yellow to red midrib. Compare the somewhat odd growth of this juvenile cultivated E. haeleeleana to that of a mature wild tree growing in the Wai‘anae Mountains, O‘ahu. (Header photograph courtesy of Kenneth R. Wood (NTBG) CC BY-NC 4.0.)
Description
Euphorbia haeleeleana, a member of the Euphorbiaceae (spurge) family, is a dioecious (female and male flowers on separate plants) tree 3 to 14 m (10 to 46 ft) tall. The alternate leaves are papery in texture, elliptic, and usually 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) long and 4 to 6 cm (2 in) wide. Male trees bear many small male flowers within a cyathium (a compact inflorescence with small individual flowers). The female trees have cyathia with a single female flower surrounded by numerous abortive male flowers. The capsules (dry fruit that open at maturity) are round.
Euphorbia haeleeleana sets fruit between August and October. Euphorbia haeleeleana is dioecious (male and female flowers on separate trees) and must be cross-pollinated to produce viable seed. Some populations appear to have mostly male flowers and do not produce much seed. The capsules are explosively dehiscent so seed tends to be collected in the immature stage for genetic storage and propagation, as ripe seeds have already been dispersed. Seeds on the ground are often empty and non-viable. It is unclear if rats (Rattus spp.) eat viable seeds or if most seeds produced are not viable.
Growth Requirements
General
The jury is still out as to whether Euphorbia haeleeleana will find a place in Hawai`i landscapes. Initially, for the first several years, all my *** have done well, often becoming taller than me, with even a few flowering and producing fruits. However, sometime before their tenth birthday, something happens to either their roots or lower trunk (e.g., rot) and they die. Others I have talked to have had similar experiences.
Pests and Diseases
Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for ways to deal with each of these pests.
Uses
Ancient Hawaiian
Modern
Special Features and Information
General
Euphorbiaceae is a large family with about 7,500 species within 300 genera, found on all the continents except Antarctica, with the greatest diversity in the tropics. Some well-known non-native relatives of ʻakoko are the Castor oil plant (Ricinus communis), kukui (Aleurites moluccana), poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima), cassava (Manihot esculenta), and the Pará rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) from which we get latex [WikipediA;Euphorbiaceae].
There are currently (2025) 17 native species of ʻakoko (Euphorbia spp.) — all endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Several ʻakoko are either vulnerable, rare, or endangered, and two varieties are considered to be extinct [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands]. They range in stature from very prostrate shrubs like Euphorbia degeneri to tall trees like Euphorbia olowaluana, which can grow to nearly 30 feet — perhaps the tallest in the entire genus of about 2,000 species worldwide!
In addition to the many endemic Euphorbia species, the only other member of Euphorbiaceae native to Hawai‘i is the endemic poʻolā (Claoxylon sandwicense) [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands].
Hawaiian Name
ʻAkoko comes from the Hawaiian word for blood, koko. This is likely a reference to the red, or blood-colored, seed capsules that look like drops of blood on the plant [Krauss 1993, Neal 1965]. Alternatively, some believe the name comes from the observation that ‘akoko leaves, when damaged, often turn red, giving the appearance that the plant bleeds when it is injured.
Etymology
Euphorbia is named after Euphorbos, a Greek physician of King Juba II of Numidia and Mauretania (52–50 BC – 23 AD), who married the daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra [WikipediA; Euphorbia].
The species name,
BPK
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