Wollastonia integrifolia
Asteraceae or Sunflower family [Five-minute families]
Synonyms: Lipochaeta integrifolia, Lipochaeta integrifolia var. argentea, Lipochaeta integrifolia var. gracilis, Lipochaeta integrifolia var. major, Lipochaeta integrifolia var. megacephala, Lipochaeta porophila, Melanthera integrifolia, Microchaeta integrifolia
Nehe
Natural Range & Environment
Wollastonia integrifolia is endemic to Kure Atoll (Mokupāpapa), Laysan Island (Kauō), and all the main Hawaiian Islands. It is scattered to locally common along both sandy and rocky coastlines [Wagner et al. 1990].
Nehe's flowers vary somewhat, with some populations having shorter or longer ray florets than those shown in these photographs. Wild nehe are never very far from the ocean and can sometimes cover extensive areas (Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr CC BY 3.0). This 2004 photograph of a cultivated patch of nehe at Maui Nui Botanical Gardens shows that it's possible to grow this native herb in the ground at an inland site; however, we cannot recommend this because of the intense pest management required (Photograph courtesy of Forest & Kim Starr CC BY 3.0).
Description
Wollastonia integrifolia is a perennial spreading herb with a lifespan greater than five years (in the wild; see Growth Requirements below) that never gets taller than a few inches. Its stems can get quite long, as much as six feet (2 m), and, as they branch, the entire plant becomes carpet-like. The base of the stems often become partially woody and gray.
The oblong leaves of nehe are fleshy, always small, and pale green to greenish gray. Depending on the plant's geography, they can be very small (about ½ inch [13 mm]) to small (about 1¼ inches [30 mm]).
Nehe has perfect (bisexual) compound flowers that look like small yellow daisies with up to ten outer ray florets (the things that look like petals) and about 40 disk florets (the tiny flowers in the center). The ray florets can vary a bit in length depending upon the plant's geography. Wild nehe flower profusely after significant rains, while cultivated plants flower almost continuously or go through multiple cycles of flowering each year. Each pollinated floret develops into a tiny brown to black elongate achene (i.e., dry single-seeded fruit).
Growth Requirements
General
Homeowners and landscapers are always looking for new plants to use as groundcovers. And, a couple of decades ago, many thought nehe (Wollastonia integrifolia, in particular) could be that "hot new native Hawaiian groundcover" since you sometimes see it covering extensive areas along Hawai‘i's still-native coastlines. Unfortunately, based on our experiences and the experiences of others, nehe never worked out as a general purpose groundcover because of its extensive pest vulnerabilities. Therefore, unless you live right on the shoreline (where nehe does a decent job of erosion control), we strongly recommend you grow this beautiful herb within a container where you can better avoid and manage any pest problems.
Nehe does best when placed in a site with full sunlight for all or most of the day. In the shade, it will become lanky and rarely flower. Grow it in a container filled with a media mix that drains water well. We like to use a half-and-half mixture of sphagnum peat moss and either sand, crushed coral, black cinders, or perlite.
Wild nehe live in dry environments. Therefore, avoid overwatering your containerized nehe. Periodic waterings where the surface media is dry most of the time seem to work best. In addition to intense sunlight, nehe can tolerate forgetful watering schedules (i.e., drought), salt spray, and strong winds (which actually might be helpful in keeping spider mites away).
If you cannot find nehe for sale at your local nursery or plant sale, you can easily grow it from a small stem cutting; the cutting will root quickly if placed in new (i.e., clean) easy-draining media or 100% perlite. Despite its cultivation difficulties, nehe is still a popular plant with native Hawaiian plant enthusiasts. Therefore, get connected (i.e., Hawaiʻi Botanical Society, Instagram, Facebook) to find out if someone will give you a cutting from their plant(s).
Nehe grown from cuttings will begin producing flowers a few months after they have rooted, provided they are grown under the optimum conditions described above. Established plants generally benefit from six-month applications of a balanced controlled-release fertilizer, or from a foliar feeding every couple of months with an organic or inorganic water-soluble fertilizer diluted to ⅓ to ½ the recommended strength. Nehe tends to put out long stems, which makes it perfect for a hanging basket. However, trim back the extra-long stems with a hand pruner or scissors to encourage branching and a fuller appearance.
Pests and Diseases
Nehe is vulnerable to numerous sap-sucking pests, sometimes in a life-threatening way. The most common and serious pests are lace bugs, mealybugs, and spider mites. Common, but less damaging, are spittlebug infestations. These threats are manageable if your nehe is in a container and you act quickly. Refer to the Pests & Diseases page for treatments.
Snails and slugs can also quickly consume unprotected nehe. Growing your nehe in a container well above the ground (e.g., a hanging basket) will help keep it safe from these herbivores.
Lastly, remember nehe is a xerophyte, so don't overwater, or you may end up with root and stem rot or sooty mold infecting and killing your plants.
Uses
Ancient Hawaiian
We were unable to find any recorded ancient uses of nehe. However, given that it is sometimes used today in lei-making, it seems reasonable that Hawaiians in the past also used it for this purpose.
Modern
Nehe flowers are sometimes used in lei-making [Maui Nui Botanical Gardens].
Special Features and Information
General
Asteraceae or the Sunflower family is a very large family with about 32,000 species in over 1,900 genera, and competes with Orchidaceae as the largest plant family. It has a worldwide distribution from subpolar to tropical regions with species occupying many different habitats [WikipediA;Asteraceae].
Wollastonia integrifolia hybridizes with Lipochaeta lobata subsp. lobata at Kaʻena Point, Oʻahu. The hybrids produce nearly sterile seed [Wagner et al. 1990].
Hawaiian Name
There are 20 species within the Lipochaeta-Wollastonia complex (formerly all considered Lipochaeta), all of them being endemic to Hawai‘i [Flora of the Hawaiian Islands]. Wagner et al. [1990] and others use the Hawaiian name, nehe, for all these species. However, it's probably impossible now to know if pre-1778 Hawaiians used this single name for all or just some of the 20 species, or if other names, such as ko‘oko‘olau for Wollastonia perdita [Wagner et al. 1990], were used for different species within the complex.
According to Pukui & Elbert [1986], in addition to being the name of the native Lipochaeta-Wollastonia species, nehe has multiple other meanings in the Hawaiian language. These include:
To rustle, as leaves or the sea; rumbling; groping with the hands, as in searching. Nehe lani, rumbling of thunder in the sky.
Taffeta, so called because it rustles (nehe). Nehe lau, brocaded taffeta.
Same as kī nehe (Bidens pilosa).
Some kinds of pond scums (Spirogyra spp.), a fine fresh-water algae, consisting of rows of single-celled filaments, each cell containing ribbonshaped spirals. Also called limu kala wai, līpalaʻō, līpālāwai, palaʻo, and pālāwai.
Etymology
Wollastonia honors the English scientist William Hyde Wollaston (1766–1828), who made discoveries in chemistry and physics but also had botanical and zoological interests, including the nature of fairy rings [Rhys Gardner; NZPCN]. The species name, integrifolia, is derived from the Latin words, integer, meaning "entire, whole, complete" and folium, meaning "leaf" [Latin-Dictionary], possibly referring to the entire margins of this species' leaves.
BPK