Kihapai

Kīhāpai is commonly known as the Madagascar periwinkle. It is native to tropical America. In the Hawaiian language, the word kīhāpai is used to refer to "cultivated patch," or "garden." It is also known as: Siale (Tonga), Tsitsirika (Philippines), Zhang chun hwa (China), Chatas (Spain) and Kemunting cina (Malaysia).

Kīhāpai is a slightly branched evergreen. The sturdy brown partly woody stems are long and erect. The leaves of the plant are about 2 to 3 inches, oval in shape, rounded at the tip and pointed at the base. They have a light glossy finish and are pinnately compounded. The flowers come in a variety of colors and variegated colors, such as white, pink, lavender, orange, red, white and red, etc. The single blossoms have 5 petals and are about 1 to 1½ inches in size.

Kīhāpai flowers year-round. It grows well in sandy soil either in full sunlight or partial shade.

Traditional Cultural and Medicinal Usages

• One variety of the flower and leaves was used as a blood purifier and a deterrent for intestinal parasites
• Research also suggests two alkaloids contained within this plant (vinblastine and vincristine) may be useful in the treatment of certain types of childhood leukemia as well as Hodgkin’s disease