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Ilima (Sida fallax)

>From: nsterman@ucsd.edu (Nan Sterman)
>Subject: Ilima?
>Sender: nsterman@aqua.ucsd.edu
>Date: Sat, 18 Oct 1997 11:49:02 -0700 (PDT)
>
> anyone know anything about growing a plant called "Ilima?"  It's a
> perennial or shrub from or grown in Hawaii with grey/green leaves and
> golden yellow flowers and is supposedly used for special leis.  It takes
> little water and I got a cutting from a nursery nearby, but the folks there
> know little about it.

Hi Nan -

Well, I don't have any experience with this plant, but I did find a
Web page with a little info:

   http://www.comptime.com/hitrade/FlwCat_Ilima.html

No cultural information, but interesting just the same.  I have a
friend who is quite keen on the Malvaceae in gerneral, and have a
call into her in case she has some tibits to impart to us (I'll let
you know if she does).
Apparently, this is the offical flower of O`ahu.  There is also
some herbal or medical uses for the plant.  It is also somewhat
adaptable based upon the distribution from beach to mountain, and
in the various forms and colors it cam assume (tall to almost
prostrate, flowers yellow, greenish, reddish,  leaves grey to
glabrous).  Here are a few other Web pages on Ilima:

   http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/ee95/genx/cl15.htm  (photo)
   http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/ee95/mach5/ilimatpc.htm  (photo)
   http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/nat27.htm  (2 photos)
   http://starbulletin.com/96/05/24/features/story2.html (info!)
   http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/page30.htm  (info)
   http://www.alohatropicals.com/ki-03.html  (info/photo)
   http://www.kcc.hawaii.edu/class/bot130/ilima.html  (info)

I hope this might help a bit.  Let us know who it goes with this
interesting plant.

 Sean A. O'Hara                     sean.ohara@ucop.edu
 710 Jean Street                    (510) 987-0577
 Oakland, California 94610-1459     h o r t u l u s   a p t u s
 U.S.A.                             'a garden suited to its purpose'
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