ʻĀlaʻa

Kauaʻi evidence

Accepted status, Kauaʻi occurrence, nativity, growth form, and names were audited against the 2026 Smithsonian checklist and linked habit source. Scientific synonyms: Planchonella ceresolii (Rock) H. St. John; Planchonella puulupensis Baehni & O. Deg.; Planchonella rhynchosperma (Rock) H. St. John; Planchonella sandwicensis var. aurata (Hillebr.) Dubard; Planchonella sandwicensis f. densiflora (Hillebr.) H. J. Lam.; Planchonella sandwicensis f. puulupensis (Baehni & O. Deg.) H. J. Lam; Planchonella spathulata var. densiflora (Hillebr.) Dubard; Pouteria aurantia (Rock) Fosberg; Pouteria ceresolii (Rock) Fosberg; Pouteria rhynchosperma (Rock) Fosberg; Pouteria sandwicensis (A. Gray) Baehni & O. Deg.; Pouteria sandwicensis f. densiflora (Hillebr.) Baehini; Pouteria sandwicensis f. puulupensis (Baehni & O. Deg.) Baehni; Sapota sandwicensis A. Gray; Sideroxylon ceresolii Rock; Sideroxylon rhynchospermum Rock; Sideroxylon sandwicense (A. Gray) Benth. & Hook. ex Hillebr.; Sideroxylon sandwicense var. auratum Hillebr.; Sideroxylon spathulatum var. densiflorum Hillebr..

Names and classification

Scientific name

Planchonella sandwicensis

Hawaiian names

ʻĀlaʻa · Āulu · Kaulu

Other names

Planchonella sandwicensis · ʻalaʻa · aulu · kaulu · Planchonella ceresolii (Rock) H. St. John · Planchonella puulupensis Baehni & O. Deg. · Planchonella rhynchosperma (Rock) H. St. John · Planchonella sandwicensis var. aurata (Hillebr.) Dubard · Planchonella sandwicensis f. densiflora (Hillebr.) H. J. Lam. · Planchonella sandwicensis f. puulupensis (Baehni & O. Deg.) H. J. Lam · Planchonella spathulata var. densiflora (Hillebr.) Dubard · Pouteria aurantia (Rock) Fosberg · Pouteria ceresolii (Rock) Fosberg · Pouteria rhynchosperma (Rock) Fosberg · Pouteria sandwicensis (A. Gray) Baehni & O. Deg. · Pouteria sandwicensis f. densiflora (Hillebr.) Baehini · Pouteria sandwicensis f. puulupensis (Baehni & O. Deg.) Baehni · Sapota sandwicensis A. Gray · Sideroxylon ceresolii Rock · Sideroxylon rhynchospermum Rock · Sideroxylon sandwicense (A. Gray) Benth. & Hook. ex Hillebr. · Sideroxylon sandwicense var. auratum Hillebr. · Sideroxylon spathulatum var. densiflorum Hillebr.

Record type

Species

Kauaʻi occurrence and status

Kauaʻi occurrence

Recorded on Kauaʻi

Origin

Endemic

Conservation status

Smithsonian checklist assessment: Apparently Secure; U.S. status: No Status

Evidence date

2026-10-05

Evidence limits

Island-level occurrence is retained; finer locality is intentionally withheld

Habitat and ecology

Habitats

Mesic forest

Food and resource needs

Light, water, nutrients, and suitable habitat substrate

Reproduction

Viable flowers or seed and suitable establishment conditions; species-specific reproductive review remains open

Shelter

Suitable native vegetation structure and substrate

Growth form

Tree; Shrub

Threats and conservation

Threats

Species-specific threat review pending; no fine-location evidence is published in this card

Conservation actions

Protect native habitat and verify species-specific actions against current conservation sources

Monitoring

Taxonomic identity, population condition, recruitment, and locally documented pressures; exact locations withheld

Data gaps

Species-specific ecology and threat citations · Reproductive phenology · Fine-scale habitat information intentionally not published

Process and seasonal context

Seasonal timing

Not assessed

Seasonal description

ʻĀlaʻa (Planchonella sandwicensis) is a tree; shrub recorded on Kauaʻi. It is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands.

Sources and further reading

• https://doi.org/10.5479/si.32124043
• https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/botany/hawaiianflora/speciesdescr.cfm?genus=Planchonella&species=sandwicensis
• https://cufind.campbell.edu/en/publications/taxonomic-reevaluation-of-endemic-hawaiian-planchonella-sapotacea
• https://naturalhistory2.si.edu/botany/hawaiianflora/genusdescr.cfm?genus=Planchonella

Explore field guides

• Native Trees of Kauaʻi