Landscape March 2018 L-40

Expanding Diversity in Hawai‘i’s Landscapes: Pak Lan, White Champaca, Michelia × alba

Richard A. Criley Department of Tropical and Soil Sciences

ikely the result of hybridization between two spe- cies in Indonesia, pak lan is widely cultivated in tropicalL Asia for its fragrant and the essential oils derived from them. It is one of our few sterile . Fast-growing, it has the potential to grow to 80 ft, but old trees in Hawai‘i are only known to reach 40 ft, with a cylindrical to conical shape. Fine specimens exist at Washington Place near downtown and at the Kuan Yin Temple on Vineyard.

Recommended Use in Landscape • Shade tree • Specimen • Street tree • Median strip • Parks

Pak lan foliage and Pak lan at the Kuan Yin Temple in Honolulu.

Published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in co- operation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, under the Director/Dean, Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822. Copyright 2014, University of Hawai‘i. For reproduction and use permission, contact the CTAHR Office of Communication Services, [email protected], 808-956-7036. The university is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing programs and services to the people of Hawai‘i without regard to race, sex, gender identity and expression, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran. Find CTAHR publications at www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/freepubs. UH–CTAHR Expanding Tree Diversity in Hawai‘i’s Landscapes: Pak Lan L-40 — Mar. 2018

Distribution • Dispersed throughout , Indonesia, and

Propagation Techniques • No seed • Softwood cuttings – not a high percent of success • Graftage onto champaca (Michelia champaca) • Air layers

Cultural Requirements and Tolerances • No special soil requirements except for good drain- age. • Full sun Michelia flowers are highly fragrant. • Deep watering to establish; moderate watering once established.

Leaf Characteristics • Leaves are smooth, long elliptical to obovate- elliptical • Yellowish green in color • Length 4 to 14 inches by 1½ to 4¼ inches wide

Flower and Fruit Characteristics • Ten narrow white fleshy to about 2 inches across borne in leaf axils. • Highly fragrant, especially at night • Sets no fruits

Advantages for Use in Landscapes • • Fragrant flowers • No litter from fruits • Creates heavy shade • Tolerates severe pruning

Disadvantages for Use in Landscapes • Heavy fragrance can be overpowering at night • Some twig borer problems

Michelia in the median strip in Kunia

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