Violet Lake Colicwood: A Critically Endangered Hawaiian Treasure Not for Your Garden
If you’ve stumbled across the name Violet Lake colicwood (Myrsine vaccinioides) while researching native Hawaiian plants, you’ve discovered one of Hawaii’s botanical crown jewels—and one that definitely shouldn’t be on your garden wish list. This isn’t because it’s not beautiful or interesting, but because it’s so incredibly rare that every single plant matters for the species’ survival.
What Makes This Plant So Special?
Violet Lake colicwood is a perennial shrub that’s completely endemic to Hawaii, meaning it exists nowhere else on Earth. Like other members of the colicwood family, it’s a multi-stemmed woody plant that typically stays under 13-16 feet tall, with several stems arising from near the ground.
But here’s what makes this plant truly remarkable: it’s critically imperiled. With a Global Conservation Status of S1 and listed as Endangered in the United States, there are likely fewer than 1,000 individual plants remaining in the wild, possibly across just five or fewer locations.
Where Does It Grow?
This rare shrub is found exclusively in Hawaii, where it has a somewhat flexible relationship with water. Classified as a facultative wetland plant, Violet Lake colicwood usually grows in wetland areas but can occasionally be found in drier locations too.
Why You Shouldn’t Plant It (Even If You Could)
Here’s the thing about critically endangered plants—they’re not garden candidates, and for very good reasons:
- Conservation Priority: Every plant needs to stay in the wild or in professional conservation programs
- Availability Issues: Legitimate sources for this plant simply don’t exist in the nursery trade
- Specialized Needs: Critically rare plants often have very specific growing requirements that are difficult to replicate
- Legal Considerations: Collecting endangered plants from the wild is illegal and harmful
What You Can Do Instead
If you’re drawn to native Hawaiian shrubs, there are wonderful alternatives that you can grow responsibly:
- Consider other Myrsine species that aren’t endangered
- Look into native Hawaiian shrubs like ‘ōhi’a lehua or native hibiscus varieties
- Support conservation organizations working to protect rare Hawaiian plants
- Visit botanical gardens or nature preserves where you might glimpse rare species in their protected habitats
The Bigger Picture
Plants like Violet Lake colicwood remind us why native plant conservation matters so much. Hawaii’s unique island ecosystem has produced incredible botanical diversity, but it’s also extremely vulnerable. When we choose common native alternatives for our gardens, we’re making space for the truly rare species to survive in their natural habitats.
While you won’t be planting Violet Lake colicwood in your garden, knowing about it connects you to Hawaii’s incredible natural heritage. Sometimes the most important plants are the ones we admire from afar and work to protect for future generations.
Supporting Conservation
If this remarkable shrub has captured your imagination, consider supporting Hawaiian native plant conservation efforts. Organizations like the Lyon Arboretum and Hawaii’s Plant Extinction Prevention Program work tirelessly to study and protect species like Myrsine vaccinioides. Your support helps ensure that future generations will know these botanical treasures existed.
