Wikstroemia uva-ursi var. uva-ursi (Molokai Osmanthus)

  • TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN): 0125
  • Botanical Name: Wikstroemia uva-ursa
  • Common Name: Molokai Osmanthus, 'Akia (Hawaiian)
  • Variety: uva-ursi
  • Family: Thymelaeaceae
Wikstoemia uva-ursa
Photo by Matthew Gaston

  • Native To: Hawaiian Islands of Moloka'i, O'ahu, and Maui

Landscaping Information

    • Plant Type: Shrub, Groundcover
    • Texture: Fine, Dense
    • Form: Mound to Dome 
    • Height (on average, in landscape use): 1.5' - 2.5'. Maximum height is about 3'
    • Height to Spread: More horizontal spreading growth than vertical growth. 
    • Growth Rate: Medium
    • Landscape Values: Border, Edging, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Groundcover, Low Hedge, Lanai, Mass, Patio, Erosion Control
    • Outstanding Quality: Form/Silhouette, Foliage Characters, Fruit
    Wikstoemia uva-ursa trimmed into a hedge at UH Manoa East-West Center
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    Botanical Descriptions

    • Flowers: small, unisexual, yellow flowers with 4 petals. Arranged in small clusters. Flowers year long.
    Wikstoemia uva-ursa flowers
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    • Fruits: 0.5'-0.75' spherical to ellipsoidal fleshy (indehiscent) drupe (containing a single seed); unripe green fruits ripen to a vivid orange or red. Fruits used for lei.
    Wikstoemia uva-ursa fruit
    Photo by Matthew Gaston
    • Foliage Color:  Young/immature: Yellow Green. Mature: Blue Green
    • Foliage Tip: Rounded to Obtuse
    • Foliage Base: Rounded to Obtuse
    • Petiole: 0.1'
    • Stipules: N/A 
    • Margins: Smooth
    • Leaf Arrangement: Opposite Decussate (4-ranked)
    • Leaf Shape: elliptic to orbiculate
    • Leaf Type: Simple
    • Leaf Texture: Thick and Waxy
    • Leaf Special Notes: Small, round shaped, blue-green leaves grow tightly when grown in full sun. This makes this plant a popular choice as a native Hawaiian plant for bonsai.
    Wikstoemia uva-ursa adaxial leaf surface
    Photo by Matthew Gaston

    Wikstoemia uva-ursa abaxial leaf surface
    Photo by Matthew Gaston
    Wikstoemia uva-ursa leaves
    Photo by Matthew Gaston



    • Bark and Trunk: brownish red to gray bark.

    Horticultural Information

      • Light Preference: Full Sun
      • Light Tolerances: Semi-Sun (but will grow leggy with long internodes)
      • Soil Preferences: Dry (Mesic), Dry (Xeric), Well-Drained.
      • Tolerances: Salt Air, Saline Soil, Strong Winds, Moderate Winds, Drought.
      • Water Requirements: prefers well draining, drier soil. .
      • Notes on Maintenance: Grows best in a dry, full sun.location where it can spread as a groundcover.Not known to have many pests. Grows well in a container, especially popular on a sunny lanai.
      • Propagation: Seed, Air Layer. Cutting also works, but requires much more work than most and even at that has a low success rate (50%)
      • Minimum USDA Hardiness Zone: 11a
      • Weed Risk Assessment Score (WRA): Endemic to Hawaii.
      Additional Reference: https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hawnprop/plants/wik-uvau.htm

      Most Popular Plants

      Barringtonia asiatica (Barringtonia)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0101 Botanical Name: Barringtonia asiatica   Common Name: Barringtonia, Fish Poison Tree, Putat, Botong (Pilipino name), Shaving Brush Tree Cultivar: N/A Family: Lecythidaceae Barringtonia asiatica Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: South Pacific, Taiwan, and Zanzibar  Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree Texture: Dense Form: Upright-broad  Height (on average, in landscape use): 25'-45' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate:   Medium Landscape Values: Street Tree, Shade, Specimen, Windbreak, Erosion Control Outstanding Quality: Flowers, Foliage Characters, Fruit Barringtonia asiatica at UH Manoa Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers: 5"-7" wide, white to cream petals. White to light pink stamens are abundant. The two-lobed calyx and pistil remain attached to the tree, while petals and stamens fall below. Flowers open at nig...
      Read More»

      Adansonia digitata (Baobab)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0098 Botanical Name: Adansonia digitata Common Name: Baobab, African  Baobab , Dead Mouse Tree, Dead Rat Tree, Monkey-Bread Tree, Upside-Down Tree, Cream of Tartar Tree Cultivar: N/A Family: Malvaceae Adansonia digitata  Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: Africa (range is nearly all of Africa  especially d ry shrub land  and s avanna) Landscaping Information:  Plant Type :   Tree Texture: Fine, Open, Smooth Form: Upright-broad Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'-60' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:1 Growth Rate:   Slow-Fast   (depending on rainfall and groundwater) Landscape Values:  Accent, Shade, Sculptural Form, Space Division, Specimen, Windbreak Outstanding Quality: Form/Silhouette, Bark Botanical Descriptions: Flowers:   Mallow-type flower; large, leathery, pendulous white flowers with five petals and 5 sepals. An abundance o...
      Read More»

      Graptophyllum pictum (Caricature Plant)

      Image
      T ropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0002 Botanical Name: Graptophyllum pictum Common Name: Caricature Plant Cultivars: 'Igneum', 'Lurido-sanguineum', 'Tricolor'/'Waimea', 'Eldorado' Family: Acanthaceae  (Acanthus Family) Graptophyllum pictum   Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Igneum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Lurido-sanguineum'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Eldorado'  Photo by Matthew Gaston Graptophyllum pictum 'Tricolor' (believed to be the same as Graptophyllum pictum 'Waimea') Photo by Matthew Gaston Native To: New Guinea Landscaping Information
      Read More»

      Tabernaemontana divaricata (Crepe Jasmine)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0081 Botanical Name: Tabernaemontana divaricate Common Name: Crepe Jasmine, Crepe Jasmine, East India Rose Bay, Nero's Crown, Coffee Rose, Flower of Love, Phut Son Cultivar: 'Flore Pleno' Family: Apocynaceae Native To: India, Southern China, Northern Thailand Tabernaemontana divaricata after a rain Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Shrub, Treelet Texture: Medium Form: Mound to Round-Headed Height (on average, in landscape use): 2'- 15' Height to Spread Ratio: The ratio of height at maturity to the width (spread) at maturity. Growth Rate: Fast Landscape Values: Accent, Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Patio, Quick Effect, Screen, Specimen Outstanding Quality: Flowers , Fragrance Botanical Descriptions Flowers: Sweet Fragrance, green sepals, white petals, 0.5"-1.1" long. Double flower cul...
      Read More»

      Ficus benjamina (Benjamin Fig)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0049 Botanical Name: Ficus benjamina  Common Name: Benjamin Fig, Weeping Fig, Weeping Chinese Banyan Cultivars: 'Exotica' is discussed in this post, but several cultivars exist. Family: Moraceae Native To: India, Southern China, and the Solomon Islands. Ficus benjamina Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree  Texture: Dense, Open Form: Weeping/Pendent  Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'- 60' Height to Spread Ratio: 1:2 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Foundation, Framing, Hedge, Indoor, Lanai, Patio, Screen, Shade, Sculptural Form, Specimen, Erosion Control Outstanding Quality: Form/Silhouette, Foliage Characters  Ficus benjamina Photo by Matthew Gaston Ficus benjamina at the UH Manoa Campus Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Figs: 0.25"-0.75...
      Read More»

      Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula (Mast Tree)

      Image
      TropPlant Accession Number (TPAN) : 0092 Botanical Name: Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula Common Name: False Ashoka, Mast Tree, Cemetery Tree, Indian Fir Variety: pundula Family: Annonaceae Native To: Southern India and Sri Lanka Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula leaves Photo by Matthew Gaston Landscaping Information Plant Type : Tree Texture:   Dense Form: Upright-Narrow with Weeping/Pendent features Height (on average, in landscape use): 45'-60' Height to Spread Ratio: 10:1 Growth Rate: Medium Landscape Values: Accent, Street Tree, Background, Border, Edging, Facer, Filler, Framing, Mass, Quick Effect, Screen, Sculptural Form, Space Division, Specimen, Windbreak Outstanding Quality: Foliage Color, Form/Silhouette, Foliage Characters Polyalthia longifolia var. pendula growing at the University of Hawaii Manoa Photo by Matthew Gaston Botanical Descriptions Flowers: 0.3'"-0.5"...
      Read More»