Pleomele (genus) facts for kids

Pleomele was once a group of flowering plants. But now, all the plants that used to be called Pleomele are part of a different group called Dracaena. In the Hawaiian language, these plants are known as hala pepe. This name means "crushed" or "dwarfed" Pandanus tectorius, which is another type of plant.

How Hala Pepe Was Used

Native Hawaiians used hala pepe plants in many important ways. They used them for medicine and for special cultural practices.

Traditional Medicine

Ancient Hawaiians used hala pepe to help treat different sicknesses.

• For Fevers: They would mix the bark and leaves of hala pepe with parts of other plants like ʻuhaloa (Waltheria indica), popolo (Solanum americanum), and a type of sugarcane called kō kea (Saccharum officinarum). This mixture was used to treat high fevers and chills.
• For Lung Problems: For issues with the lungs, they made a more complex mix. This included the bark, roots, and leaves of hala pepe. They also added bark from ʻōhiʻa ʻai (Syzygium malaccense), root bark from ʻuhaloa and popolo, stems from ʻalaʻala wai nui pehu (Peperomia species), fruit from noni (Morinda citrifolia), kō kea sugarcane, coconuts (Cocos nucifera), and pia (Tacca leontopetaloides).

Other Uses

Beyond medicine, hala pepe had important cultural and spiritual uses for Native Hawaiians.

• Carving Statues: The soft wood from the trunk of hala pepe was carved by Native Hawaiians into kiʻi. These were special statues or figures.
• Hula Altars: Hala pepe was very important in Hawaiian spiritual practices. It represented the goddess Kapo on the kuahu (altar) inside a hālau hula. A hālau hula was a building where hula was taught or performed. Hala pepe was one of five essential plants used on the hula altar. The others were ʻieʻie (Freycinetia arborea), maile (Alyxia oliviformis), ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), and palapalai (Microlepia strigosa).

Images for kids

• 

  Dracaena fernaldii, which used to be called Pleomele fernaldii.