The Puakenikeni Plant – A Comprehensive Guide to Growing

The fragrant Puakenikeni (Fagraea berteroana) blooms from early summer through autumn. It is also dubbed the ‘ten-cent flower’ and is an endemic species native to the tropical Pacific Islands, such as Hawaii, Tonga, Samoa and other parts of Polynesia. Its showy flowers smell sweetly of vanilla and go from creamy white to deep orange as they mature. In Hawaii, it is also known as China rose or white flame tree, and the flower is symbolises love and friendship, incorporated into natural Hawaiian lei. Puakenikeni love attention, and are great for creating living ceilings or growing on trees. Whether you are an experienced gardener or a plants enthusiast, growing this precious species will be quite a reward. In this guide, we will also look at the characteristics and care of the Puakenikeni plant. Dianthus ‘MacDonald White’, Foliarch lanceolate, Coleus ‘Mary Poppins’ and Fagraea berteroana create a living ceiling for plants at Heatherwick Studio’s Swarovski Crystal Palace at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2021. Courtesy Heatherwick/Nick Guttridge

Understanding the Puakenikeni Plant

Characteristics and Origins

Pukenikeni flowersGenerally growing between 15-25 feet (4.5-7.5 metres) tall as a small tree or large shrub, the pukenikeni is a member of the family Gentianaceae, also known as the ‘madder family’. It is native to tropical areas of the Pacific Islands, its scientific name Fagraea berteroana honours Carlo Luigi Giuseppe Bertero (1799-1857), the French scientist who first described the species in 1837.

Perhaps the most beautiful thing about the Puakenikeni is its flowers. Tubular and sweet-smelling, the buds are creamy white when they first bloom, age to golden yellow, and then to a deep orange at their most mature. The flowers’ changing colours are one of the plant’s enduring charms. The Puakenikeni flower also exudes a sweet, heady aroma that becomes more pungent the longer the plants grow.

Cultural Significance

The Puakenikeni flower, with its distinctive heady scent, is a revered element of Hawaiian tradition and history. The flower’s scientific name is Pentacmeia fragrans and its Hawaiian name means ‘ten‑cent flower’. This name reflects its original 20th‑century market price of 10 cents per bloom (it was sold in bundles of 10 or 20 flowers). Pengekenikeni blooms are used in the creation of many lei and are often given as gifts to honour special occasions or welcome guests on arrival at a site. Then there are traditional uses of the flower in Hawaiian medicine. For example, the fragrance of pugekenikeni was believed to ward away bad luck. The flower’s unopened buds were also used in purgative medicines against intestinal parasites, and the flowers, roots and bark were all used to make ointment and to treat wounds and swelling of the arm.

Cultivating the Puakenikeni Plant

Choosing the Right Location

First and foremost, the plant must be positioned in the right spot: it demands warm, tropical climates with full sun to partial shade and should be planted in a site with well-drained soil that’s rich in organic matter with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. If you live in a cool climate, it would be a good idea to plant in a container so that you can move it indoors in winter.

Because it gets quite large, choose its location wisely to give it room to spread out – and put it somewhere that receives at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. If planting in a pot, be sure the drainage holes are adequate and use a quality potting mix.

Planting and Propagation

Puakenikeni plant can be propagated through seeds or cuttings. But cuttings is a better method for propagation because it gives faster result and that the new plant would remain the same after propagation with the parent plant.

To propagate from cuttings:

Pick Healthy Stem only: Find a healthy, half-hardwood stem on the parent plant (–6 inch long).

Cut the Cutting: Strip off lower leaves to leave only a handful at the top end. Dip this end into rooting hormone.

Plant the cutting: Stick the cutting into a pot of good-draining potting mix. Water it thoroughly and cover the pot with plastic to create a greenhouse effect.

Plant Care: Place the pot in a warm, bright spot but not in direct sun. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. Roots should form in 4-6 weeks.

You can check on the roots after a few weeks and – if there are roots – you can plant the cutting in its permanent spot in the garden or moved to a larger pot.

Watering and Fertilization

Theeni doesn’t like a lot of water, neither to much nor to little, its soil must be kept constantly moist during growing season but not waterlogged. Water it deeply, once or twice a week and let it dry in a little between waterings. During the winter months you should only water it once a week as the plant is now dormant.

Fertilisation is also important to your Puakenikeni. Use a balanced, slow-release fertiliser with an 10-10-10 or 14-14-14 N-P-K ratio. Fertilise the plant every 6-8 weeks during the growing season, from early spring to early fall. Do not over-fertilise, as this causes your plant to grow too much foliage at the expense of flower production.

Caring for the Puakenikeni Plant

Pruning and Maintenance

However, like many plants with abundant green growth, the Puakenikeni benefits from routine pruning to both shape the plant and prune away encroaching branches to promote the overall health of the tree. Pruning should be done in late winter or early spring, before new growth emerges. Any dead or diseased branches, as well as those that cross or rub each other should be removed. This improves air circulation and reduces the chance of fungal infections.

To promote bushiness and flowering, lightly nip the growing tips of branches, but avoid heavy pruning, as this will reduce flower production. At the time of pruning, apply a layer of organic mulch around the base of the plant to retain moisture and prevent weed regrowth.

Pest and Disease Management

While it can be a vigorous grower and relatively tolerant to pests and diseases, the Puakenikeni is not utterly pest and disease-free. Common pests include aphids, mealybugs, and scale insects. Regular inspections and insecticidal soap or neem oil treatment can help with common pests.

You might encounter powdery mildew, root rot or other fungal diseases if your plant is grown in poorly drained soil, or if humidity is too high. To avoid fungal diseases, keep plants properly spaced, improve air circulation and avoid overhead watering. If your plant becomes infected with a fungal disease, use a fungicide to treat it and remove any diseased plant parts.

Seasonal Care and Overwintering

In tropical and subtropical areas, this fragrant shrub may be enjoyed year round, outside in the landscape. In cooler areas, winter protection is recommended. If your plant is kept in a container, bring it indoors before the first hard freeze, and keep it in a sunny, south-facing window where it can gently bask. Back inside, reduce the amount of water the plant receives to avoid overwatering, which may cause root rot.

If yours is grown outside in a mild climate, supplement it the first winter by mounding a thick layer of mulch around the outside base of the plant and tucked away from the trunk itself. If you grow rosemary in a cold climate, protect it from freezing temperatures by using frost cloths or other types of coverings to help it survive the winter.

Benefits and Uses of the Puakenikeni Plant

Ornamental Value

In the domestic setting, the beauty of the plant – the shiny green leaves and the scented, colourful flowers – make Puakenikeni a popular garden specimen. Its inflorescences make it an excellent plant for attracting pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies. It is also grown for its aesthetics and agarbattis, an incense made from scented woodchips or cones.

Cultural and Medicinal Uses

As mentioned previously, the use of the Puakenikeni flower also has cultural significance in the Hawaiian Islands and throughout other Pacific Island communities, where they are used to make leis, the ornamental garlands that are customarily given as tokens of love, friendship and respect. In addition to its cultural applications, there are also records of traditional uses of the Puakenikeni plant for medicinal purposes. For example, in other Pacific Island cultures, different parts of this plant such as the root, leaves, and flowers are sometimes used to treat an array of illnesses including fever, inflammation, and skin conditions. However, these traditional applications have received few, if any, scientific validations, and caution is advised for the use of the plant for medical purposes.

Fragrance and Perfumery

The Puakenikeni flower is renowned for its highly ovular aroma; its scent is so mesmerising that it has been used in perfumery that produces exotic, heady and floral perfumes. Its flowers can be collected and distilled, to form the basis for essential oils, and that is made to produce perfumes of candles, and other different scented products. The Puakenikeni aroma is based on a sort of jasmine flowers, rich and very floral aroma with additional notes to it is made more intense while flowers mature in the garden.