Family: Nyctaginaceae

Pāpala kēpau is a small tree indigenous to Hawaiʻi. Shiny green leaves are entire and oppositely arranged or whorled. Greenish-white flowers grow in clusters and are slightly fragrant. The fruits of pāpala kēpau are its most exciting feature. Purple in color and they are incredibly sticky.

Hawaiian birdcatchers would use clusters of the sticky fruit to trap forest birds, which were gently plucked of a few feathers before setting the birds free. Today, you can also find small unsuspecting critters like lizards and insects get caught up in the fruit clusters. Fruits will get stuck to everything like your dogs, shoes, hair. So please plant in an area where the pods won’t be bothersome. 

The sap and leaves were used as medicine and as a glue to repair cooling implements. 

Plant Uses:

• Cultural significance
• Ornamental
• Specimen

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers