This article by Jodie Rosam was featured in The Kaʻū Calendar News Briefs on **not yet published online** (but it was in the print version on 2/1/2023).
Pāhala, Hawaiʻi
Welcome to Lāʻau Letters: Native Plants of Kaʻū. Read about Kaʻū’s native plants and their moʻolelo (stories), uses, preferred habitats, and opportunities to adopt them for stewardship. This column seeks to encourage making new plant friends and to reunite with others.
Pua kala (Argemone glauca)
Pua Kala watercolor painting by Joan Yoshioka
Description: Pua kala is Hawaiʻi’s one and only endemic poppy (Papaveraceae), and exists in two varieties: A. glauca decipiens and A. glauca glauca. Pua kala can be translated into thorny flower, and although the flowers are not actually thorny, the rest of the plant sure is! This prickly friend is able to grow in disturbed landscapes, and is one of the few native plants that can survive fires and reappear soon after an area has burned. Its silvery-green leaves are serrated and its delicate flowers bloom bright white with a deep yellow center. Although the flowers only last a day, new flowers bloom nearly constantly. The seeds develop in large prickly capsules which burst open when ripe, dispersing hundreds of tiny black, round seeds. Fun fact: unlike its relative, this Hawaiian poppy does not contain morphine or codeine, although it does contain alkaloids within its bright yellow sticky sap that can irritate the stomach and intestines, making pua kala one of the few truly toxic native Hawaiian plants. Don’t worry though, its bitter taste makes it impossible to tolerate!
Uses: Regardless of its (mild) toxicity, the bright yellow color of pua kala sap is indicative of its medicinal value. This latex sap was historically used sparingly for toothache and nerve pain (neuralgia), and topically as a natural wart remover. Pua kala sap can still be used for both purposes under the guidance of a lāʻau lapaʻau practitioner. Because it is so unpalatable, even ungulates (cattle, goats, sheep) will not eat pua kala, thus making it a great natural border hedge to keep unwanted grazers out of fragile areas.
Habitat: Believe it or not, pua kala can be found from sea level to over 6,000 feet elevation! We are most familiar with the var. glauca, which is found from sea level to about 1,700 feet elevation around our Kaʻū coastlines. Var. decipiens, however, is found in dry to subalpine areas between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, and has been recorded at just over 6,200 feet elevation (wow!). You may notice them popping up in cattle pastures and open lava flows along the coast, or even on recently-bulldozed lots.
Growing and Purchasing: Pua kala is prolific and easy to grow. Once the seed pods have opened, simply tip them over and spill out the shiny black seeds into a bag or envelope. Your relationship with pua kala will only be enhanced by appreciating the tenacity of her thorns, so just go with it! Sow a flat of seeds in a well-drained media (soil / cinder) and transplant them into individual pots after they have developed two or three true leaves. They can tolerate full sun, harsh winds, and just about any soil type, and really are a treat in any landscape. They will surprise you with how quickly they bloom and create more seeds. Pua kala are a gift that keeps on giving! Be sure to always keep a pocketful of pua kala seeds to sprinkle around your yard, neighborhood, or favorite coastline.
Mahalo to Julia Neal with The Kaʻū Calendar for helping us to share these plant stories! Big thanks to Joan Yoshioka for contributing her paintings for this recurring monthly column.
Photos of the contributors, Jodie (left) and Joan (right) –> 
