Chrysodracon hawaiiensis (Hala Pepe)
Plant Family
Asparagaceae
Binomial Name
Chrysodracon hawaiiensis O.Deg. & I.Deg.) P.L.Lu & Morden
Synonymous Binomial Names
Formerly Pleomele hawaiiensis. Other synonyms:
Dracaena hawaiiensis
Dracaena konaensis
Pleomele kaupulehuensis
Pleomele konaensis
Common (Vernacular) Names
Hala Pepe
Hawai`i Hala pepe
Leie
Plant Characteristics
Endemicity. Chrysodracon hawaiiensis is exclusively found on Hawai’i island. There are five other endemic species of hala pepe and each is found only in a specific region or island in the Hawaiian Island chain (WDFI 2023).
Growth Habit. Erect, slow growing plants forming large shrubs or small trees that can reach a maximum height of about 10 meters (33 feet) and may be multi-branched. The sessile linear leaves are born in dense rosettes.
Flowers. The yellow flowers form in terminal pendulous racemes. The trees are dioecious with female and male flowers on the same plant and apparently self-fertile. Our single plant has bloomed and produced viable seeds in the absence of other plants nearby.
Fruit and Seeds. The fruit are have globose, compressed three-lobed berries with one to three seeds.
The following photos are of a tree growing at our facility in Discovery Harbour, Hawai`i that was grown from a small seedling obtained several years ago from the Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Captain Cook, Hawai`i. It bloomed for the first time in early 2022 and set fruit. After the fruit ripened in the fall the seeds were planted and produced seedlings.
Racemes Forming in February 2022
 Hala Pepe Tree (Chrysodracon hawaiiensis) |
 Hala Pepe Flower Buds |
 Hala Pepe Flower Buds Close Up |
Flowering in March 2022
 Hala Pepe Flowers in Full Bloom |
 Hala Pepe Flowers Close Up |
 Hala Pepe Flowers Close Up |
Berries in September 2022
 Hala Pepe Fruit on Tree |
 Hala Pepe – Ripened Berry at Top |
Seedlings in 2023
 Hala Pepe Seedling ~2″ Tall January 2023 |
 Hala Pepe Seedling ~4″ Tall May 2023 |
Conservation Status
The spread of alien plants, fire, volcanic activity, and damage caused by feral pigs and goats, are among the major threats to remaining populations of this rare plant. Birds feed on the fleshy orange red part of the ripe fruit. Rats and mice consume the seeds. and ants and their associated pests (such mealy bugs, thrips, scales and aphids) infest the plants. They are losing to severe competition and habitat overgrowth with invasive plants including Pennisetum setaceum (Fountain Grass), Lantana camara (Lantana), and Schinus terebinthifolius (Christmas Berry). Fires associated with hihgly invasive, fire adapted grasses have killed many hala pepe trees on Hawaiʻi Island. Natural recruitment and production of new plants in the areas where they are endemic is nearly nonexistent.
In 1996 the species (under the name Pleomele hawaiiensis) was federally listed as endangered, invoking listing under Hawaii’s Endangered Species Act. (USFWS 1996). This prohibits taking of the plants in the State and encourages agencies to engage in conservation activities.
This species was most recently assessed for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2020. It is listed as Endangered under criteria C2a(i). An estimated 300 mature plants remain in the wild and the numbers are declining (Champion and Keir 2020).
Resource managers are working to increase the numbers of hala pepe in the Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, through propagation, out-planting, and protection. As of 2013 there were less than 20 mature, wild hala pepe are found scattered throughout drier areas of the park (NPSB 2015).
Uses
Religious Uses and Significance. Sacred to hula halau, hala pepe was used to adorn the kuahu (altar) for Laka, goddess of hula and as the kino lau (manifestation of a spiritual entity) of Kapo, said by some to be the first goddess of hula but more commonly known as the goddess of sorcery (MHC 2023).
Flowers. The flowers have been used to make leis.
Traditional Medicinal Uses. The early Hawaiians used the leaves in bathing and steam baths for chills (liʻa), headaches, fever, and thought to stop burning temperature or sensation (Kaʻaiakamanu cited in UH 2023). They had multiple other uses in traditional medicines in combination with other lāʻau (botanical ingredients) (Chun 1994 cited in HEOD (2023).
Landscaping. Hala pepe is now rarely available from nurseries but it can be a great and long-lived accent or specimen plant. This short statured tree, is wind and drought tolerant, requires virtually no maintenance once established and appears lush and verdant in even the driest of times (WDFI 2023 et al.). It can also be grown as an indoor plant.
Cultivation
Keep the plants dry in well drained soil, preferably with predominantly inorganic components such as volcanic cinders and sand. In areas where they are endemic they require little care. Control pests as needed, especially rodents when the plants are beginning to set fruit. Bird netting should also be used to protect the ripening berries.
Propagation
Seeds. Detailed instructions on propagation of hala pepe from seeds are available (CTAHR 2023). We did not process our seeds using bleach or fungicides as our intent was to produce seedlings that were not naive to fungi likely present under Hawaiian growing conditions. Some of our seeds were provided to another conservationist. He used the bleach treatment method and observed significantly higher germination rates.
Cuttings: Hala pepe can be propagated from cuttings (Stratton, et al. 1998 cited in UH 2023).
Improved Cultivars
Improved cultivars have not been developed.
Pests and Diseases
Ants and their associated pests (such mealy bugs, thrips, scales and aphids) are observed to infest C. hawaiiensis. The banana moth (Opogona sacchari) has been identified as a new threat to this species. Moth caterpillars web the newest leaves of the plant together and eat the fresh growth (Champion and Keir 2020).
We have frequent infestations of these moths in our greenhouse and have observed a new feeding pattern that they engage in. The larvae attack plants of hoodia and aloe species at or below the soil surface resulting in severance of the aerial parts of the plant from the roots. Young seedlings of hala pepe in our greenhouse have been found with similar damage but the pests were not observed.
Plants and Seeds for Sale
Availability
Seeds are not available.
Nursery Stock. We are applying for the approvals necessary to sell or transfer these seedlings from our facility to others in Hawai`i. An application for the federal permit required for sales outside Hawai`i may be made but this may require more effort and costs than may be justified. Distribution priority will be given to scientific and conservation organizations.
Limited supplies of young seedlings may be offered for purchase from our ONLINE STORE as Certified Nursery Plants (CNP). These plants were grown at our facility from seeds collected from the tree pictured above in artificial cultivation.
Improved cultivars of this species have not been developed.
Shipping Information
If we are authorized to sell or transfer them our certified hala pepe plants they can be shipped direct from our nursery to all states except California. They will be packed with some adherent artificial soil media. We have no prior experience shipping these and they may be damaged or not survive shipping as bare root specimens.
References
Champion, SJC & Keir, M. 2020. Chrysodracon hawaiiensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T33586A91164111. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T33586A91164111.en.
College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Relations. (CTAHR). 2023. Pelomele sp. Hawaaiian Native Plant Propagation Database. https://www2.hawaii.edu/~eherring/hawnprop/ple-spp.htm [Accessed May 16, 2023].
Encyclopedia of Succulents (ES). 2023. Dracaena hawaiiensis Fosberg. http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUCCULENTS/Family/Dracaenaceae/30211/Dracaena_hawaiiensis [Accessed May 16, 2023].
Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database (HODB). (2023). http://data.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/ethnobotany.php?b=d&ID=hala_pepe [Accessed May 16, 2023].
International Union for Conservation of Nature. (IUCN). (2020). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2020-2. Available at: www.iucnredlist.org. (Accessed 15MAY2023).
Kaʻaiakamanu, K. Native Hawaiian Medicine–Volume III” pages 47-48. [Reference incomplete].
Lu P-L., Yorkson M., Morden, CW. (2016).Population Genetics of the Endemic Hawaiian Species Chrysodracon hawaiiensis and Chrysodracon auwahiensis (Asparagaceae): Insights from RAPD and ISSR Variation. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 17(8):1341. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms17081341
Mānoa Heritage Center. (2023). Hala Pepe. https://www.manoaheritagecenter.org/2020/06/kaaipu-kakou-11/ [Accessed May 16, 2023].
Native Hawaiian Garden (NHG). Hala pepe (Chrysodracon forbesii; formerly Pleomele forbesii) – The littlest thing. https://www.nativehawaiiangarden.org/flowering-plants/hala-pepe [Accessed May 16, 2023].
National Park Service Blog (NPSB). (2015). Hula plant photo(s) of the day. https://pacificislandparks.wordpress.com/2013/04/06/hula-plant-photos-of-the-day-hala-pepe/
Rosam J., Yoshioka J. Hala pepe is the plant of the month for the March Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū. The Ka`ū Calendar News Briefs, Hawaii Island. https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/03/kau-news-briefs-thursday-march-10-2022.html [Accessed May 16, 2023].
Stratton, L, Hudson L., Suenaga N., Morgan B. (1998). Overview of Hawaiian dry forest propagation techniques. Newsletter of the Hawaiian Botanical Society 37 (2):13, 15-27.
University of Hawaii (UH). (2009). Chrysodracon hawaiiensis. http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Pleomele_hawaiiensis/ [Accessed May 16, 2023].
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) . (1996). Endangered and threatened wildlife and plants; determination of endangered status for thirteen plants from the islands of Hawaii, State of Hawaii. U.S. Federal Register 61(198): 53137-53153.
Waikōloa Dry Forest Initiative (WDFI). (2023). Chrysodracon hawaiiensis. https://www.waikoloadryforest.org/plants/hala-pepe/ [Accessed May 16, 2023].
Page last updated on May 15, 2023