Lapalapa: Cheirodendron platyphyllum

A Hawaiian Aspen-like tree

On the very top of the mountains on Oahu and it the extremely wet peaks of Mt Waialeale on Kauai lives a tree that a hiker accustomed to hiking in the Western US might think was a relative of aspen trees. While unrelated, the tree known as Lapalapa resembles Quaking Aspen trees because of the nature of the petiole, the connection of the leaf to the stem. The petioles are flattened which makes the leaves flap in the wind. Some might even say the make a “lapping” sound. Thus, the Hawaiian name for the plant is a kind of onamonapia.

Distribution

‘Lapalapa is a name that generally refers to one of 6 species in the genus Cheirodendron. Five of those species are endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. Four of those are sometimes refered to as ‘Olapa, while C. platyphyllum is ofen reffered to as ‘Lapalapa. Its only found in very wet forests of Kauai and Oahu. It’s a fairly common tree however, when you get to these wet regions. It’s also one of the most easily distinguished trees because of the nature of its leaves.

General Description

This species is a small tree that rarily reaches 30 feet in height. The leaves are oppossite and palmately compound. The leaflets of ‘Lapalapa are broader than they are long. Fruit is dark purple.

Intersting Facts

While no one we’ve heard of has ever tested this, ‘Lapalapa wood apparently burns when its green. Thus, it was an important tree for Hawaiians that were forced to spend the night in the cold and wet upland forests.

The fruit, leaves and bark of these trees were used to make a bluish dye for staining kapa cloth. The leaves were used in Hawaiian leis. When the tree is cut it gives off a strong carrot-like odor. This odor was used to scent mamaki kapa.