What’s that plant alongside the road and in so many Kona mauka yards?
Before I ever identified it, I used to see this amazing white bush or small tree especially around the Kainaliu area of south Kona during the winter months. It always seemed to bloom in the winter time when the poinsettias were in color, so I knew it had to be a relative. For years, total strangers would ask me what’s “that spectacular white bush in bloom” ? It was such a show stopper.
It’s been called ‘Snow on the Mountain’ mistakenly because it resembles a temperate plant of the same name which grows on prairie lands in the U.S. In Hawaii, it is often called ‘White Lace Euphorbia’ or ‘Christchild’s Flower’. It’s botanical name is Euphorbia leucocephala. It is native to Central America and has a milky white sap that is considered poisonous like the poinsettia. It will flower in the upper elevations of Hawaii beginning in the fall and continue through spring. Now, when someone asks you what that beautiful white shrub is as you are driving by in the car, you can answer with authority!
White Lace Euphorbia
Leave a Reply