Description

Mamaki is also called mamake and waimea (on Kauai) and is known to scientists as Pipturus albidus. It belongs to the same family (Urticaceae) as stinging nettles and olona. but the Hawaiian members of this family have lost any ability to sting.

Mamaki grows as a shrub or a small tree up to 18 feet tall. It is native to all the main Hawaiian islands except Kahoolawe and Niihau. This weak-wooded plant has grayish brown to reddish brown bark that gets a whitish tinge to it with age.

The leaves range in size from a couple of inches long to almost a foot long. They are usually dark green on top and a lighter green, or even whitish, on the bottom. They are heart-shaped and have a fine sandpaper feel to them. The edges of the leaves have little indentations that look a bit like small, pointed teeth.

Some plants have leaves with green veins and some plants have leaves with red veins. Some plants have both male and female flowers on the same plant (monoecious). Other plants are either male or female (dioecious). Monoecious plants are the most common. The flowers are insignificant and female flowers are followed by little white fruits. They look like white mulberries or like little bumpy noni fruits. The seeds are embedded in the fruit but can also be seen on the surface.

Mamaki fruits looks like little, bumpy noni fruits and are embedded with seeds.

Mamaki is still a fairly common plant in wet and seasonally wet forests and valleys. It is often seen when hiking on trails on all the main islands. Plants can be seen in stream beds growing on rocks or in the ground, and stunted plants can be seen at the top of wet mountain ridges.

Cultivation

Mamaki is an easy plant to grow if it is given the proper growing conditions. It is not too particular about types of soil. It prefers well-drained soils but can grow in even occasionally waterlogged soils. Mamaki responds very well to applications of organic matter, such as compost or mulch. Plant mamaki in full sun to full shade. Partial sun is best. If planted in full sun the plants need to be kept well watered. Drip irrigation works very well with mamaki.

Prune mamaki to keep them to a size that keeps the leaves within an easy reach for harvesting. Remove leaves as needed, being careful not to harvest more than ¼ of the leaves at any one time. Regular pinching of the growing tips will encourage more branching to produce more leaves.

Space mamaki plants about 4 feet apart if you are planting several plants for leaf production. If you are planting it as an ornamental, space plants 6 to 8 feet apart to allow them to reach their mature size. 

Propagation

Mamaki is very easy to grow from seeds. Fruits should be harvested when they turn white and are soft to the touch. Place the fruit in a container of water and squish the fruit until the seeds fall to the bottom. Pour off the floating seeds, pulp and water. The viable seeds will remain at the bottom of the container. Rinse a couple of times to remove all of the fruit pulp and then make a slurry of the seeds with a little water. Pour the slurry evenly on the surface of any standard potting mix.

Gently water in the seeds but do not cover with more soil. Place the pot in partial shade and keep the mix moist. In two to three weeks the seeds will start to germinate. When they start showing their first true leaves they should be separated into smaller clumps (with five to 15 seedlings per clump). In another two weeks the seedlings will be large enough to be separated to individual pots. When the plants reach 8 inches to 1 foot tall they can be planted in the garden.

Mamaki bush growing at the Oahu Urban Garden Center.

Pests

Mamaki leaves can be attacked by rose beetles as well as caterpillars and grasshoppers. These insects will make holes in the leaves but will not affect the overall health of the plant. Spittle bugs and aphids may attack the new growth of the plants but they are seldom a major problem. Fungal diseases can attack mamaki when they are young.

Uses

The main use for mamaki is as a tea. The leaves are harvested and dried and brewed into a tea. The tea by itself is used medicinally but doesn’t have the best of flavors. Often lemon grass is brewed with the mamaki to add flavor. The tea can also be flavored with honey or lemon.

The tea is used to cure a variety of ills. Its main use is to relieve sore throats or coughing. It is also used as a general tonic, ridding the drinker of any “run-down” feelings. The ripe fruits were eaten to cure thrush and to keep children healthy.

A mamaki bush growing at the Hoomaluhia Botanical Garden in Kaneohe, Hawaii. with regular pruning this shrub would not be quite as leggy. Note the new growth at the base of the bush.

The mamaki pants were used by Hawaiians to make a coarse type of kapa (tapa) that was durable when it was dry but tore easily when wet. The wood of mature mamaki trees was made into kapa beaters.

Mamaki tea can be purchased in many stores around Hawaii. The teas are sold either as whole leaves or in tea bags.

Practitioners of Hawaiian medicine have different preferences in the types of leaves they use. Some say that only the leaves that have red veins are useful as a medicine. Others say that only small, new leaves are any good. Still others have no preference, using whatever leaves they gather for making tea. If you are drinking the tea for pleasure, and not medicine, buy whatever tea brand you like. If you have medicinal qualities in mind, talk to your favorite practitioner and find out what kinds of leaves are best. Then grow your own plant and harvest leaves as you need them.

Originally published in Hawaii Horticulture November, 1999, Vol. 2 No. 11