Scientific Name: Myoporum sandwicense
Also Known As: False sandalwood
Indigenous: All HI except Kaho’olawe; 1 Endemic subspecies: O’ahu
Description: Depending on which island you are on or perhaps more specifically which part of the island you are on, naio can take the form of a prostrate ground cover, such as naio papa at South Point on the island of Hawii; or fairly large shrub (about 8-10 ft tall) as in other coastal localities on most islands including the Pohakuloa region again on the island of Hawai’I or a 50-80 ft tall tree like those in the upper dry forests and subalpine regions of Maui and Hawaii. All of these forms will usually have glossy dark green, glabrous leaves which are anywhere from 1-8 inches long and about 1-2 inches wide. I say usually because there is also an endangered subspecies of this plant that is found on O’ahu (M. sandwicense sub sp. stellatum) that has smaller leaves that are covered in tiny tan colored hairs that make it seem almost velvet like in appearance. However all plants will have small, whitish-pink flowers about a half an inch in diameter that emit a spicy-sandalwood like fragrance. Once pollinated the flowers develop in to small fleshy white fruit of about the same size containing a single hard seed.
Distribution: This is an indigenous plant found in the coastal dry forest up to the sub-alpine dry forest on all the main islands except never recorded from Kaho’olawe. On O’ahu this plant is primarily found around Ka’iwi (Allen Davis), Ka’ena, as well as at Kalaeloa (Barber’s Point) where that endangered, endemic subspecies mentioned above is located.
Cultural Uses: The hard wood of this plant is used in the construction of houses, spears and other smaller utensils.
Landscape Uses and Care: This extremely hardy plant thrives in full sun with minimal watering. It does well as a specimen plant or as a medium sized hedge and looks really nice especially with its dark green leaves. Few pests bother this plant so pesticide application is usually not necessary. Naio is also used in soil bioremediation since studies have shown it to remove and breakdown petroleum based substances in the ground. It amazes me that this plant isn’t used more in landscapes especially for its striking foliage and screening capabilities.
Additional Info: This plant is also known as bastard sandalwood since it was used to fill orders of sandalwood to the orient when sandalwood became scarce. Its fragrance resembles the scent of sandalwood when the tree is cut or burned, however it doesn’t retain the scent as long as normal sandalwood.
Naio