Hawai'i Gardens
Pretty shade tree once was common, has many uses
By Heidi Bornhorst
One of the most lovely Polynesian-introduced trees is in full bloom right now, with grape-size clusters of fragrant, white, waxy flowers. We don't see this tree planted as often as we might, given its beautiful shape, pretty cooling leaves and durability.
The akamai people of old made sure to pack some kamani nuts to carry aboard their great sailing canoes on their colonizing voyages across thevast Pacific Ocean. One reason they were sure to bring kamani along is that the trees have many uses besides their obvious beauty and shade.
Where can you see kamani trees? They grow in kama'aina gardens, particularly on the windward coasts. Take a drive (or a walk or bus ride) on any of the islands' windward sides and you are sure to see them in gardens of beach houses and along the roads. They do well exposed to 'ehukai — sea spray.
Kamani are used as street trees here. Check out the exceptional growth (protected by law) on Dillingham Boulevard. Ku'ulei Road in Kailua is lined with kamani trees and there are many nice ones in and around Kailua.
A very handsome and well-planned planting of them is in Kapolei along Kamakila Boulevard. The great thing about this planting is that in the future when the kamani grow large and statuesque, they won't have to be massacred by chain saws to make way for electric wires. The kamani in Kapolei have a wide median strip to grow in and, thanks to readily available technology, the wires are buried underground there.
A striking young growth of kamani is in Kahua Kukui, the Polynesian section of Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kane'ohe. These are planted with other flora carried here by the ancients: kukui, niu, 'ulu, 'ohe, wauke, noni, ko, kou and mai'a are some of the co-plantings in the area.
Kamani can become a large tree, up to 60 feet, so you need to think about where you'll plant them. Make sure to look at the airspace above. You don't want your kamani deformed to accommodate overhead wiring just as the tree becomes well-formed and majestic.
Kamani have dark-green paddle-shaped leaves that are glossy on top. The leaves have many fine veins that run parallel to the midrib. These fine veins are a characteristic of the plant family of kamani, the Guttiferaceae or mangosteen family. The Latin name of kamani is Calophyllum inophyllum. Another common name for kamani is Alexandrian laurel.
Kamani has rough and attractive gray bark with deep furrows. The flowers are not seen very often, so it is a joyous time when they are in full bloom with clusters of dripping fragrance.
After the flowers are pollinated, they develop into "nuts." People like to clean and polish these nuts and make them into lei. The polished fruit used for lei are about the size of a pingpong ball and they vary in color from a light to deep brown.
Kamani has medicinal uses and beautiful hardwood. Calabashes were made from kamani in old Hawai'i. The wood also is used in its native Southeast Asia for boats and fine furniture. Some local woodworking artists use kamani in their creations.
Here's where common names can be confusing: There's a tree called false kamani, which doesn't look like kamani and is not related; it has huge paddle-shaped leaves that can all turn red. The only commonality between the two is that they both like those same windy windward areas and both have nuts.
Heidi Bornhorst is director of the city's botanical gardens — Foster, Lili'uokalani, Wahiawa, Koko Crater, Ho'omaluhia. Write to her care of The Advertiser Homestyle section, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Or e-mail her at islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com
