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This flower cluster is oblong in shape, consisting of overlapping bracts (modified leaves) green, tinged with pink to red, which hide small inconspicuous yellowish flowers that open a few at a time. Leaves: It has about 12 narrow leaves 4 to 8 inches long by 2 inches wide, arranged alternately along the vegetative stems.įlower: In late summer, a foot tall flowering stem rises from the rhizome to form a head inflorescence. Stem: The awapuhi forms clumps of 1 to 2 feet tall plants, has large, aromatic, knobbed underground stems (rhizomes). It often grows on abandoned taro terraces near Hawaiian village sites. It prefers fairly open, darkish regions on windward sides of our islands where rainfall is plentiful. Polynesian introduced, a native of India, distributed eastward through Polynesia.Īwapuhi grows best in lower parts of damp, open forests and can form continuous ground cover. It is also used for several rituals or ceremonial purposes such as: weaning of a child, offering to Laka, the goddess of hula, expiration of sickness, divination, and mediumism practise. The leaves, bark and roots are used as medicine for general debility, weary muscles, chills, colds, headaches, lung and other respiratory diseases, displacement of womb, congestion of urinary tract, rheumatism, asthma. `Awa was used mainly as a narcotic drink that induces relaxation and sleep.

The rootstock color varies from white to dark yellow depending upon the amount of psychoactive kava lactones that are contine din a lemon-yellow resin. Root: The average fresh weight of `awa's root system is 1 kg at 10 months old. The leaves are palmately veined, that is 11-13 prominent veins originate from the base of the leaf.įlowers: Male and female flowers are borne in separate clusters on different plants (dioecious species). Leaves: The leaves are heart-shaped, about 5-8 inches long with 1 inch leaf stalks. The stems are green, jointed with knobby or swollen nodes. Its a hardy slow-growing perennial that's cultivated for its rootstock called stump. Stem:`Awa is an attractive shrub that can grow to more than three meters. It grows well when there is a constant moisture and not too much sun. `Awa is a species of the Hawaiian wet forests.