Euphorbia kuwaleana
Euphorbiaceae or Spurge family
Synonyms: Chamaesyce kuwaleana
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ʻAkoko
ʻEkoko, Koko, Kōkōmālei
Natural Range & Environment
endangered endemic O (Wa, single collections from Mokumanu and Kane`ohe; ex?)
Euphorbia
Description
Euphorbia skottsbergii var. skottsbergii is an endangered shrub that grows to about four feet (1.2 m) in height and has a lifespan of five to ten years. It tends to have one or two main stems with numerous shorter sidebranches. Older stems are gray while younger stems are reddish brown. It has a milky latex-like sap that may irritate those with sensitive skin; avoid getting the sap in your eyes.
Euphorbia skottsbergii var. skottsbergii has round to elliptic leaves, arranged in pairs opposite each other along the stem. During periods of drought, typically occurring more than once a year, plants will drop all or most of their leaves and can easily be mistaken as dead. Damaged or old leaves turn red, orange, or yellow.
Euphorbia skottsbergii var. skottsbergii has both male and female flowers on the same plant. Neither have petals nor sepals but instead a cup-like structure called a cyathium at their base. The yellow to orange male flower has a single long stamen at its center, while the green and white female flower has a pistil with multiple stigmas. (See photographs of male and female flowers above.) Since I (Koebele) have always grown this species in clusters, I do not know if plants are self-fertile. Wild plants produce their tiny flowers whenever there is enough moisture for leaf formation and growth, stopping only during periods of drought while regularly-watered (i.e., cultivated) plants flower continuously.
Pollinated female flowers develop into a green capsule that hangs to the side of the cyathium on a short stalk as it grows larger. When ripe, typically in the morning hours, the capsule rises up from its downward-curved position and becomes upright shortly before exploding to disperse the few tiny gray seeds inside.
Growth Requirements
General
In the wild, ‘Ewa Plains ‘akoko naturally lose all their leaves and go dormant several times each year. After your ‘akoko is established in a landscape, it’s your decision if you wish to mimic this natural behavior or circumvent it by watering — the plant will survive either way. (However, again, water sparingly since this species naturally grows in a region where the annual rainfall is only about 15 inches a year.) The maximum height for ‘Ewa Plains ‘akoko is about four feet (see photograph above). And, its maximum lifespan is about ten years. Therefore, be certain to collect and store (in your refrigerator) some seeds early so you don’t get caught without replacement material. ‘Ewa Plains ‘akoko are easy to grow from seed. Refer to the Native Hawaiian Garden website for details on how to collect, store, and propagate ‘akoko seeds.
Pests and Diseases
‘Ewa Plains ʻakoko are occasionally attacked by mealybugs, scale insects, spider mites, and whiteflies; the most commonly seen pest is the cottony cushion scale. However, infestations are rare, and, in the case of mature plants, the pests often disappear over time, probably due to natural predators such as ladybird beetles or leaf shedding. ʻAkoko's milky sap may also deter many pests. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for ways to deal with each of the above-mentioned pests. Persistent infestations are more likely if you have placed your ‘akoko in an unnatural environment, such as a heavily-shaded or windless site. If possible, move your plant to a sunnier and windier location rather than resorting to continued chemical treatments.
Another ʻakoko pest (more common in irrigated or wetter landscapes) is the giant African snail (Lissachatina fulica), which will come out of its hiding place at night and girdle the stems or eat the leaves of ‘akoko; girdled stems eventually die. If this happens, and your ‘akoko is in a pot, try to solve the problem by moving it to a safer location. Also, closely inspect the container to make sure the snail(s) are not living inside. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for other ways to deal with snails.
Uses
Ancient Hawaiian
There are about 17 endemic species of ‘akoko found in Hawai‘i, depending on which taxonomist you talk to. All possess a milky sap. According to Krauss [1993], the sap was used in the paint for canoe hulls.
Pukui & Elbert [1986] state that Euphorbia (Chamaesyce) multiformis leaves and buds were chewed to treat debility. This claim likely originates from Ka‘aiakamanu & Akina [1922], who recommended this practice for mothers and babies.
Note: The milky sap of all Euphorbia species can cause skin irritation, warts, and, despite the claims above, should not be ingested without medical supervision due to potential toxicity.
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 (2026) 17 native species of Euphorbia in Hawai‘i — all endemic to the Islands. Several species 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 haeleeleana and Euphorbia olowaluana [Wagner et al. 1990]. 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 many Hawaiian Euphorbia species [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], and used the sap of a spurge for medicinal purposes [Gledhill 2008].
The former genus name, Chamaesyce, is derived from the ancient Greek words, χαμαί (khamaí), meaning “near the ground,” and συκῆ (sukê), meaning "fig-tree," perhaps referring to the low habit of most species and the fig-like appearance of the fruit capsules [Wiktionary;Chamaesyce].
The species name, kuwaleana, is a Latinized geographic reference to a ridge in Wai‘anae, O‘ahu, where this species is found, and means "standing alone" [Ulukau; Parker 1922].
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