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Useful Tropical Plants

Dianella sandwicensis

Hook. & Arn.

Asphodelaceae

+ Synonyms

Dianella lavarum O.Deg.

Dianella multipedicellata O.Deg.

Common Name:

Dianella sandwicensis
Ripening fruit
Photograph by: Forest and Kim Starr
Creative Commons License
Dianella sandwicensis Dianella sandwicensis Dianella sandwicensis Dianella sandwicensis Dianella sandwicensis Dianella sandwicensis

General Information

Dianella sandwicensis is an evergreen perennial plant with grass-like leaves. It forms a clump of growth that can be 50 - 200cm tall and more than 1 metre wide[
417
Title
Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/index.asp
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details on over 100 species of Hawaiian plants.
,
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].
The plant was traditionally used as a source of cordage for thatching and as a dye. It is quite ornamental and can be grown as a ground cover.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

Pacific - New Caledonia, Hawaiian Islands, Marquesas

Habitat

Somewhat open to partly shaded sites, usually in mesic forests, but also in dry shrubland, grassland, on lava and in wet forests at elevations from near sea level to around 2,140 metres[
417
Title
Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/index.asp
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details on over 100 species of Hawaiian plants.
,
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].

Properties

Other Uses Rating *  *  *
HabitEvergreen Perennial
Height0.60 m
Cultivation StatusOrnamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Found in the wild in drier tropical and subtropical areas where the mean annual rainfall ranges from very low to 1,250mm[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].
Succeeds in a position in partial shade or in full sun[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
]. Grows well in the understorey of trees[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
]. Plants can tolerate fairly dry soils so long as they are well mulched, and can also succeed in quite wet conditions[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
]. Established plants are drought tolerant[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].
The plant can flower and produce fruit all year round[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Agroforestry Uses:

Plants spread at the roots and can be planted around 30 - 60cm apart each way to form an effective ground cover[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].

Other Uses

The fruit has been used in making seed lei[
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].

The juice extracted from the fruit is used as pale to purple-blue or a true blue dye when mixed with lime fruit[
417
Title
Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/index.asp
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details on over 100 species of Hawaiian plants.
,
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].

The long, slender leaves can be braided into cordage and used as ties and lashing material when thatching and making traditional buildings[
417
Title
Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online Database
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/index.asp
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Brief details on over 100 species of Hawaiian plants.
,
436
Title
Native Plants Hawaii
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
A website containing information on a range of native Hawaiian plants, with descriptions, habitat, traditional uses etc.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Division of the clump, or removing offsets from the outside of the clump.
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Dianella+sandwicensis>

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