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The Beach Ilima of Hawaii
Posted: January 15, 2008
I love to photograph beach ‘ilima which grows as ground cover no more than 6 inches high on the beaches of Hawaii. It crawls over the sand, carpets the landscape, and produces small yellow-orange flowers that add much charm to the sandy and coastal areas of the Hawaiian Islands.
‘Ilima (Sida fallax) is indigenous to Hawaii and is found on all the main islands. It is also found on the Northwest Hawaiian Islands and other islands throughout the Pacific. Beach ilima is the prostrate form of ilima that is called “ilima papa” in Hawaiian. There is also a shrub form of ilima that grows to 4-5 feet high in the mountains.
‘Ilima papa is well adapted to the beaches and coasts. It can grow directly in sand and can tolerate salt spray from the ocean. In this photo taken at Mokuleia on Oahu, its yellow-orange flowers burst into bloom as waves crash against the shore and kick-up salt spray.
Ilima papa is often found with the morning glory pauohiiaki (Jacquemontia ovalifolia subsp. sandwicensis) which also crawls over the sand but has small purplish flowers. When they bloom along side each other, the green tapestry of their intermingled foliage is accented by lovely purple and yellow-orange flowers.
Moli or laysan albatross nest on a carpet of ‘ilima papa and pa’u-o-hi’iaka at Ka’ena Point, the western-most tip of O’ahu.
Here is a close-up of pa’u-o-hi’iaka and ‘ilima flowers at Kaena Point. Ilima flowers look like minature hibiscus flowers but are only about three-quarters of an inch across. The ilima flowers in this photos are not completely open — their petals form a cup around the stamens and pistils at the center of the flower.
When ilima flowers fully open their petals extend outwards to show their attractive irregular shape. Ilima flowers were highly prized in old Hawaii and were fashioned into leis for the ali’i (chiefs).