Olona
Touchardia latifolia

Family: Urticaceae

What it is like

Touchardia latifolia, commonly known as Olana, is a flowering shrub about 1 to 3 m tall endemic to Hawaii. The leaves, arranged alternately, vary in shape from thin lanceolate to broad elliptic. Female flowers are orange berry-like achenes while male flowers are white. No plant part is edible and of medicinal value. The bark yields strong, light, and water resistant fiber with is used for making fish lines, nets, in feather capes and helmets, musical instruments, weapons, fine cloth, etc. Plant is grown from cuttings. Transplanting is not ideal because the roots of Olana are fragile.

Touchardia latifolia is a SHRUB growing to 2 m (6ft 7in) at a slow rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) or semi-shade (light woodland). It prefers moist or wet soil.

Height (m): 2

Where it is found

Mesic valleys and wet forest at elevations from 70 - 1,200 metres. Deep ravines.

Pacific - Hawaii.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed

Countries/locations it is found in

United States

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 4

Other Uses: A fibre obtained from the bark is strong, light, and water-resistant. A very good quality fibre, highly prized for its tenacity and durability, it is used traditionally for making fish lines, netting, in feather capes and helmets, as well as ki-leaf rain capes, in musical instruments; in weapons such as daggers, clubs. Also used in conjunction with Freycinetia arborea in twined basketry. The fibre is suitable for making fine cloth. The plants are best cut when a little over a year old and their thick stems stripped of the loosely adhering bark. The extraneous pulp is then scraped away the with a blade.

Basketry: Plant used in making baskets and other items such as chairs. Includes plants that are only used as an ornamental addition.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

Musical: Specific mention of plants used as musical instruments. Does not include the various woods that can be used for making musical instruments.

String: Plants that can be used for string or can be easily made into a string. See also Fibre. Plants for ropes may be included.

How it is grown

The plant grows best at elevations from 300 - 1,500 metres. The plant flourishes best in a deeply shaded woodland position with hardly any clearing.

Propagating it: Seed -

Best place to grow:

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 10-12

Growth: Slow

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade

Moisture: Moist, wet

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Olona

Synonyms

No synonyms are recorded for this name.