Nama begins flowering when it is still very young and small (Photograph courtesy of Kyhl Austin CC BY-NC 4.0.). Here, with hand for scale, is the typical size of most Nama you are likely to come across (Photograph courtesy of Mike Wood CC BY-NC 4.0.). And, here is a giant Nama perched on a rock on Laysan Island (Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr CC BY 3.0 US.). White-flowered Nama are rare on the main Hawaiian Islands, but are the norm for Lisianski and Laysan (Photograph courtesy of sea-kangaroo CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.). This Nama is nearing the end of its short life (Photograph courtesy of Mike Wood CC BY-NC 4.0.). Header closeup photograph courtesy of G.D. Carr ©.

Growth Requirements

General

    If you're a lover of small things, Nama is your plant! Because of its small size and vulnerability to snails and slugs, Nama is best kept in a container. However, if you insist on planting it outside, create a micro-environment it will like with a mound of crushed coral and sand in a sunny site. Then, encircle the mound with snail and slug defenses (see Pests & Diseases).

    Perhaps because Nama is an annual and its seeds are hard to come by, you rarely see this adorable little plant for sale. Therefore, your best bet is to get connected with other native Hawaiian plant enthusiasts and find someone that has a Nama. Ask them if you can have "please — just a tablespoon" of sand collected from beneath their flowering and fruiting plant; because of Nama's short lifespan, cuttings are a serious waste of time. Prepare a pot by filling it with crushed coral (mostly at the bottom) and sand. Then, sprinkle your collected tablespoon of sand on top and gently water. Place the pot in a sunny location and gently water it once or twice a week — and wait. Be patient.

    In my (Koebele) experience, Nama seeds are triggered to germinate by a combination of soil moisture and shortening daylength. For me, October is the month I would begin to see my first Nama seedlings, whether I sowed the seeds in the summer or spring before. We would be very interested to learn if you have a similar or different experience; please contact us at: EickhoffandKoebele@gmail.com. Once your seedlings appear, wait a few weeks until they have six or more leaves before you consider transferring each to individual pots. If you do, be extra careful digging them up because of their delicate roots. 

    Keep your Nama in a site that receives full sunlight for all or most of the day. Water it once a week or less. If you water too often, you risk root-rot, or more likely, your Nama will not keep its attractive mat-like form and being to grow lanky. In addition to drought, Nama is tolerant of heat, wind, and salt spray. 

    Nama grows quickly without fertilizer. In fact, any fertilization is, like too much water, likely to cause your Nama to lose its mat-like form.

    As mentioned above, Nama is an annual (in my experience with cultivated plants). So, don't be dismayed when your plant eventually senesces and dies (see photograph above). Rather, carefully cut away all the dead stems and discard them, leaving the roots in the pot (so as not to disturb the surface sand media). Keep your pot in its sunny location and water it occasionally; I typically watered once a month. As fall and shorter days approach, increase your watering to once a week. With some luck, you will begin to see a new generation of seedlings in your pot(s), and you'll once again get to enjoy the sight of these fuzzy little plants.

Pests and Diseases

    Snails and slugs are probably the most damaging threat to Nama. Root mealybugs can also become a problem, so inspect your plant's roots regularly. Aphids and mealybugs are rare pests on its leaves. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for ways to combat these pests. Nama is a xeric plant; therefore, don't encourage root-rot and prematurely kill your plant by overwatering.

Special Features and Information

General

    Namaceae contains 76 species within three genera found in the Americas, Caribbean, and Hawai‘i. Recent studies show that it has a distinct lineage from Hydrophyllaceae [Jepson Herbarium].

    Nama sandwicensis is the only Namaceae found in the Hawaiian Islands [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands].

Hawaiian Name

    According to Wagner et al. [1990], hinahina kahakai is the Hawaiian name for this species on Ni‘ihau. It is unclear if this name was used on any of the other Hawaiian Islands. Today, the plant is referred to as either hinahina kahakai or simply Nama. 

Etymology

    Nama is derived from the ancient Greek word, νᾶμα (nâma), meaning “fountain or stream” [Wiktionary;Nama], supposedly named for the habitat of the Nama species seen and mentioned by Linnaeus (Nama zeylandica) [Talking Plants].

    The species name, sandwicensis, refers to the "Sandwich Islands," as the Hawaiian Islands were once called and named by James Cook on one of his voyages in the 1770s. James Cook named the islands to honor John Montagu (The fourth Earl of Sandwich) for supporting Cook's voyages [Gledhill 2008].