Pua‘ole

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'PUA‘OLE' ('‘Āwela,' 'Hale‘iwa')

Status: Held in Collections

Background information: This is a famous and beloved cane noted for being flowerless, indicated in the name Pua‘ole (lit. "without flower"). The natural indisposition to flowering allows this cane to acquire exceptional growth and sweetness. ‘Āwela refers to the young stage of the hou, or Christmas wrasse (Thalassoma fuscum). The juvenile wrasses are brightly colored, with distinctly different hues and patterns than the adults. This cane is said to grow well in any environment and is especially adapted for cultivation at high altitudes, as the rapidity and size of growth are less affected than other varieties. A cane collected in Hale‘iwa and given the name of that locale appears morphologically identical.

Identifying Characteristics: Stalks brightly colored, being yellow striped with green and quickly turning pink. Internodes slightly barreled. Sheaths very lightly or not pubescent and moderately to heavily waxy. Leaves often sparsely variegated with sparse off-white stripes. Growth is stocky and dense with very erect leaves.

'PUA‘OLE' ('‘Āwela,' 'Hale‘iwa')

Status: Held in Collections

Background information: This is a famous and beloved cane noted for being flowerless, indicated in the name Pua‘ole (lit. "without flower"). The natural indisposition to flowering allows this cane to acquire exceptional growth and sweetness. ‘Āwela refers to the young stage of the hou, or Christmas wrasse (Thalassoma fuscum). The juvenile wrasses are brightly colored, with distinctly different hues and patterns than the adults. This cane is said to grow well in any environment and is especially adapted for cultivation at high altitudes, as the rapidity and size of growth are less affected than other varieties. A cane collected in Hale‘iwa and given the name of that locale appears morphologically identical.

Identifying Characteristics: Stalks brightly colored, being yellow striped with green and quickly turning pink. Internodes slightly barreled. Sheaths very lightly or not pubescent and moderately to heavily waxy. Leaves often sparsely variegated with sparse off-white stripes. Growth is stocky and dense with very erect leaves.

Stalk Color

banded yellow and light green, rapidly changes with sun exposure to pink, dark rose, or rarely purple banded with yellow-green or green, often pink, yellow, and green can be seen on a single internode; wax bloom very sparse

Internode

slightly barreled, barreled, or cylindrical; bud furrow variably expressed, often deep and extending the length of the internode; wax band thick, noticeable, depressed; growth ring striped like stalk but greener, tumescent; root band striped like stalk, stripes occasionally truncating in root band, 3–4 rows of crowded eyes

Bud

green changing rapidly to pink, ovate, round pointed or truncate tip; moderately to pubescent with both long hairs at the tip and short hairs near the base; bud wings red, moderate, inserted near center of bud

Leaf

erect, medium length, broad width, module 15:1–19:1, mildly variegated with white; sheath green or yellow–green, always variegated with white, off-white, or pink, heavily coated in wax, light to moderate group of hairs down center; dewlap yellow-green or green, occasionally with some pink or purple hues, broad double crescent or ascending squarish deltoid; outer auricle transitional with a light to moderate tuft of medium-length hairs; inner auricle poorly formed rounded nub that occurs an inch or more below the dewlap

Flesh

dark brown, very dark brown ring near the rind transitioning to a lighter brown core, soft, very sweet, very juicy; rind moderately hard, tends to bend instead of snap

Tassel

not observed, cane said never to tassel

Growth

very erect, compact, short, moderately thick stalks, grows well in all environments, particularly in uplands

Bud

Bud

Leaf