The Ilima botanical name is Sida---not a very promising name these days!

Ilima/scientific name = sida fallax. Native to Hawaii. Geez I was just asking for some seeds in the seed exchange. I'm looking for the Orange ones. Do a google search, find the site about the UH Teacher

(http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/)
(http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/images/sid_fal.jpg)
(http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/160webindex.htm)

and it will tell you where they are specifically at UH. I wish you could send me some seeds... Soon so I can start them outside in the summer heat, 'E olu olu 'oe. Aloha No ! I tried emailing the teacher, but so far no answer. I used to live in Hawaii Kai at the Mauna Luan but now I live here in Dearborn Michigan. Graduated from UH in '78. Looks like I'll be here in the Hawaiian forums now too. I have 4 Plumi's growing on my deck here during the summer months, the ilima and pikake would be all that I need. Its embarassing that I don't know the other names. I should because my degree from UH is Horticulture, but that was 25 years ago. Sorry. Keep in touch send me an email about the seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Just Say Aloha!

Mahalo everyone.

Aloha e Tommy and mahalo for the link. I have pikake on the mainland. It's the double and it's called Arabian Jasmine and I think it's the Duke variety. I have 5 plants but they don't seem to do very well. I think the northern california winters are a little too cold. I'm in the San Francisco Bay Area and pikake and plumeria are available at local nurseries. I just bought 2 6" pikake last weekend.

I'm envious of your plumeria. I've tried several times and get initial leaves, but never flowers and the plant dies. Same thing with ti plants. Tuberose has tons of leaves, but never flowers.

I think ilima is a little finicky. Also takes tons of flowers to make one lei, that's why it's so pricey.

A hui hou,
Manoa

Anyone gardening on Molokai? So hard to dig past those rocks. The whole acre is loaded with lava rocks and other rocks. You dig barely an inch and hit rocks. Then do it again. Most of the time is spent digging out rocks and it never ends. Buying cubic yards of earth is quite costly if you buy enough for a garden. Frustrating!

You asked for the meaning of Puakenikeni, Pakalana & Ilima.
The following info is from my Hawaiian dictionary.
Pua keni keni means "ten-cent flower" pua = flower, keni=ten cents, dime, small change (english). So called because at one time the flowers are said to have sold for ten cents each. Latin name Fagraea Berteriana
Pakalana is the chinese violet Telosma cordata. Both paka and lana have many meanings so not sure how they came up with that name originally.
Under the definitions of ilima, there are several varieties mentioned. Ili has many different meanings too but a lot of words with that prefix have the connotation of skin, leather, surface. Ma can mean faded, wilted, stained, discolored, blushing, among other definitions. As someone else mentioned, all ilima are species of Sida. Hope this helps somewhat. Aloha

Mahalo Tropictype. I chose the wrong word, I wanted to know what they are called on the mainland, actually the mainland translation. Thanks for the latin names, this should help me find someone who has plants in California. Thanks again.

I happened to be at Maui Nui in Kahului, it is a botanical garden. I was talking with Tamara about Ilima and they do have some there, but it is Ilima paka the ground cover type. I noticed that the petals had separations, unlike the Ilima in the above links.
This past week I had bumped into a friend at Kahana Nursery and he specifically told me that the bush Ilima are the one used in lei's. I gotta mention that they had lil' six packs of Ilima for sale at a dollar a piece!
So anyhow Tamara was saying that Ilima grows naturally in Sunny South Maui. And that's where I live!
As we were coming home I think I saw some on side of the road, actually in a curbed county area for a stop sign.
So I think I am getting close to harvesting some seeds. I just am not sure how apparent the seeds will be and getting them off the plant. What do you think? I should of asked Tamara when I was at the Nui.
Kewl news though huh??

Aloha Manoa,

I found a place in Southern California that you can buy the pakalana vine from. I hope the link works. The company is called Aloha Tropicals.

I think the picture on the website makes it look a lot more like the kenikeni, but maybe that wouldn't be such a horrible thing either!

I found Aloha Tropicals when my Mom, who was born and raised in Oahu, recalled to me how much she missed pakalana. She lives in California now and has only had the plant since May. She says so far no flowers, but it seems to be doing fine!

Hope this helps,
Hapa-Haole Holly

Here is a link that might be useful: Aloha Tropicals

Mahalo Holly,

I jus' got back from Hawai'i. Brought back pakalana and sea grape lei to show friends. Your website is perfect, that's pakalana. Jus hope I can keep the bugger alive!

Manoa

Just to add to Tropictype's info...Puakenikeni is the "ten-cent flower" and is native to other islands in the Pacific (but not Hawaii). Pakalana is the Hawaiianized word for Pak-lan, the Chinese violet. Pak-lan is the Chinese name and actually refers to the Chinese violet (of which you are referring) and a small tree(different species). 'Ilima is Sida fallax, of which I have seen the papa (prostrate), the knee-high shrub, and the kuahiwi (glossy instead of hairy leaves). Another ornamental that my mom likes is pikake (Jasminum sambac). Wonderful fragrance!

Aloha,

New to this site, and just want to say that I love it. Feels like I'm back home. Grew up in Kaneohe, went to Castle High. My parents lived in Molokai for 40+ years. I live in Phoenix, and belong to the local plumeria club here. Would love to try Pakalani here. Hmmmmmmm that great smell.

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