ʻĀkia

Wikstroemia uva-ursi

Native Endemic

The bark and twigs are ground up and used by fishermen to stun fish in tide pools and shallow reefs for easy capture. Berries, leaves, and tiny yellow flowers are used in lei-making. The scent of the flowers is somewhat alarming since it is not necessarily a sweet fragrance. Sometimes bark is used to make rope, or even beaten into kapa.