Kokee Colicwood: A Rare Hawaiian Treasure That Needs Our Protection
If you’ve stumbled across the name Kokee colicwood (Myrsine knudsenii) while researching native Hawaiian plants, you’ve discovered one of the rarest shrubs in the world. This isn’t your typical add it to your shopping cart kind of plant – it’s a botanical treasure that’s hanging on by a thread in the wild.
What Makes Kokee Colicwood So Special?
Kokee colicwood is a perennial shrub that’s found nowhere else on Earth except the misty highlands of Kauai, Hawaii. Like other shrubs, it’s a multi-stemmed woody plant that typically stays under 13-16 feet tall, with several stems rising from near the ground. But what makes this plant truly extraordinary isn’t just its growth habit – it’s how incredibly rare it has become.
A Plant on the Brink
Here’s where things get serious: Kokee colicwood has a Global Conservation Status of S1, which translates to Critically Imperiled. In plain English, this means there are typically five or fewer occurrences of this plant in the wild, with fewer than 1,000 individual plants remaining. It’s also listed as Endangered under United States federal protection.
This isn’t just uncommon – this is could disappear forever rare.
Where Does It Call Home?
This endemic Hawaiian species is found only in Hawaii, specifically in the Kokee area of Kauai (hence the name Kokee colicwood). It grows in the high-elevation montane environments that characterize this unique region of the island.
Should You Try to Grow Kokee Colicwood?
This is where we need to have a frank conversation. While the idea of growing such a rare plant might seem appealing, there are several important considerations:
- Conservation responsibility: With so few plants left in the wild, any cultivation should only be done with properly sourced, ethically obtained material
- Specialized needs: This plant evolved in very specific Hawaiian montane conditions that are extremely difficult to replicate elsewhere
- Legal considerations: As an endangered species, there may be restrictions on collection and propagation
- Limited availability: You’re unlikely to find this plant at your local nursery – and that’s probably for the best
Supporting Conservation Instead
Rather than trying to grow Kokee colicwood in your garden, consider supporting conservation efforts for Hawaiian native plants. Here are some ways to help:
- Support organizations working to protect Hawaiian native plant habitats
- Choose other native Hawaiian plants that are more readily available and less threatened
- Learn about and share awareness of Hawaii’s unique and endangered flora
- Visit botanical gardens or conservation centers that may have specimens in their protected collections
The Bigger Picture
Kokee colicwood represents something bigger than just one rare shrub – it’s a symbol of Hawaii’s incredible botanical diversity and the urgent need for conservation. Every endangered plant species is a library of genetic information, ecological relationships, and evolutionary history that, once lost, can never be recovered.
While we can’t recommend adding this critically endangered species to your home landscape, learning about plants like Kokee colicwood helps us appreciate the incredible diversity of our planet’s flora and the importance of protecting what remains. Sometimes, the most responsible way to love a plant is to admire it from afar and work to ensure it has a future in its native habitat.
If you’re interested in growing native Hawaiian plants, consider working with local native plant societies and nurseries that can guide you toward less threatened species that will thrive in cultivation while still supporting Hawaii’s unique botanical heritage.
