Waltheria indica

photo credit: Forest and Kim Starr

Best practices for survivability and field observations

Most agreed the low-statured species has a moderate lifespan, with one respondent noting ”1-5 years” in its natural habitat and another saying “3-5 years.” Most agreed this is an aggressive, drought resistant, hardy species which thrives in places such as Ka’ena and Keawa’ula (O‘ahu), Wailuku (Maui), and in the dry areas of Hawai‘i Island. Several noted that it seeds prolifically. One even noted that it can be “trained as ground cover” and that it is used culturally for medicinal purposes in tea.

Stressors and pests

A couple of respondents said it is seasonal and that “it can tend to dry out and dieback during extended dry periods.”

Availability and propagation

Available by propagation via seeds, seed scattering and seedlings in the wild.

Survey Results

For information about the survey, refer to our article: on Coastal Plants for Creating Green Breaks