‘O‘opukai Kalo

Colocasia esculenta

Native variety

‘O‘opukai means sea guppy, a small native fish similar in coloring to the Petiole of this taro.

Purple Guppy Taro

Used as poi and table taro; the leaves are often used for lu‘au. ‘O‘opukai is a light colored taro that has a good ‘ulika (gumminess) factor.

‘O‘opukai pa‘i‘ai has a beige and light tan color. The color of this kalo's pa‘i‘ai can be the same hue as mango wood.

Stems are 65 to 90 cm. long, light yellowish-green with dark purple or reddish-purple flecked stripes and blotches, dark red at the stem edge, reddish-purple at top (apex), a dark reddish-purple ring at base with purplish-pink for 3 to 4 cm. above the base.

Lau or Lu'au(Leaf Blade) is 50 to 65 cm. long, 35 to 45 cm. wide, 40 to 50 cm, from tip to base of sinus, egg-shaped (ovate), dark green with bluish cast; margins wave-like (undulating); piko purple; veins conspicuously reddish-purple over entire lower surface; round leaf section (lobes) acute with wide sinus.

UH # 052

Cultivars

Varieties
Taro for poi is cultivated by both the dryland and wetland methods. Varieties commonly used are the Lehua Maoli, `Maui' Lehua, and Moi. Most Hawaiian grown taro is allocated to four major uses: Poi, table taro, taro chips, and luau leaf.
 

Taro is an important food crop in Hawaii, the Pacific Islands, and Asian countries. In Hawaii, taro leaves are used as a vegetable in laulau, and taro corms are made into poi. Corms are also boiled, steamed, and baked, and may be fried to make chips.

 
Taro can be grown under two distinctly different cultural management systems: upland (dry land) taro planted in non-flooded, rain fed areas, and lowland (wetland) taro grown in waterlogged or flooded fields. Much of the taro grown in Hawaii is wetland taro, but upland taro production is rapidly increasing. "Upland taro" includes all varieties or cultivars of Colocasia esculenta, commonly called taro, and Colocasia esculenta var. globulifera, locally called dasheen or araimo, that are planted under non-flooded conditions.

Several varieties of taro can be used for upland planting. The most common and easily accessible varieties in Hawaii are 'Lehua Maoli' and 'Bun Long'. 'Lehua Maoli' is an excellent "poi" taro, while 'Bun Long' is an excellent table taro that is also grown for making taro chips. Dasheen varieties are 'Tsurunoko', 'Miyako', and 'Akado'. A few unnamed dasheen varieties are also grown in Hawaii.

The Chinese Bun Long is used as table taro, luau (taro leaf), and - the delight of local yuppies - taro chips. Dasheen or araimo, Japanese taro, also is used as a table taro. The Samoan Niue is primarily used as a table taro.

Growing Information

(How to Grow Taro)

• Light: 65%-73% shade, likes high light, but will do reasonably well in 80% shade

• Soil: aerated mix containing bark, coarse perlite and peat moss

• Mature Height: 3-4'

• Pot Size: 8-14"

• Hardiness: Zone 7b

• Origin: Horticultural

Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)

 

Height: 36-48 in. (90-120 cm)

Hardiness: USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)

Sun Exposure: Sun to Partial Shade

Danger: Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction

Foliage: Grown for foliage

Other details: Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Very high moisture needs; suitable for bogs and water gardens

          Polynesian Produce Stand           

 

    

   Shipping    

ATTENTION USA BIDDERS!

     All live plants are shipped bare-root wrapped in moist sphagnum moss to ensure the plant’s healthy transit to you. All live plants are Inspected By USDA Plant Inspectors before they are shipped to insure you get healthy pest free plants and seeds.

We ship via USPS Mondays-Wednesday with Delivery confirmation.

  All plant materials are required by LAW to inspected and certified by USDA prior to export Hawaii to the US Mainland.

 After Inspection, USDA stamps released for export Hawaii to the US Mainland. All items are delivered to USDA Inspection Station at Honolulu International airport.

USDA Certification charge is included in Shipping and Handling @ $5 fee per item/species.

There is a packing & custom boxing fee.

Last and usually least is USPS postage (shipping).

 

ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL BIDDERS!

         We can ship live plants to the US only. Only Domestic Shipping and Handling includes USDA Certification.

We ship Seeds Internationally.

  All International shipments are at Buyer's Risk. Please spend no more more than you can lose!

Proper Permits and Documents are the BUYER's responsibility. Please request any documents prior to shipping.

For foreign customers, please check your laws concerning permitting and customs, additional shipping and handling costs may apply.

         The additional charge for any Phytosanitary Certificate is not included in this offer.

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ON LIVE PLANTS is available only under these conditions!

All international orders are shipped at the BUYER's RISK  (shipped with or without documents) and no refunds or replacements are offered for Dead On Arrival, loss, confiscation, Customs Seizure, unanticipated charges, etc.

 

   Payment

            We accept online payments only through PayPal, Cash payments are only acceptable for in-person payments and cash-on-delivery (COD). Cash payment can not be sent through the mail.

      Please only one Paypal payment. SO THE COMBINED SHIPPING RULE WILL CAN BE USED. Multiple paypal payments are NOT eligible for discounts.

        We will ship once a week - ON or BEFORE WEDNESDAYS, because of the special stamps needed to ship plants and cuttings to you.  This can only be done at the Dept. of Agriculture.  If payments are not met before that MONDAY, your items will be shipped the following week and lose the combined discount opportunity.

         Non-paying bidders may receive negative feedback and will be reported as an unpaid item to eBay.

 

COMBINED SHIPPING POLICY

INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING is not included in this offer.   INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING ON LIVE PLANTS on a case by case basis.

We will combine shipping for auctions won on the same week paid with same paypal payment.

   This policy is good for auction items bought and paid for in the week ending MONDAY.

Payment must be received within 7 days of the auction ending. 

Combined Discounts Won Auctions

     For 2-3 winning auctions, the combined discount is 10% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 4-7 winning auctions, the combined discount is 20% of the total Shipping and Handling charges. For 7+ winning auctions, the combined discount is 30% of the total Shipping and Handling charges.

 

         As each order is packed and prepared separately you will pay the quoted S/H charges individually per item. If you buy the same species in that item it does calculate out the discount (i.e.: additional item $3.61). My stores' combined shipping is built in for same items rather than a varied selection. Includes postage, USDA certification and inspection, proper packing and delivery to Airport for prompt delivery. I can’t really change any of these. If you want one of this and one of that, it gets hard to discount much as each different species requires it's own prep & packing, then at USDA each has to be unwrapped and inspected then repacked. USDA requires me to clean and prepare every last piece before we drive them to the Inspection Station on the other side of the island. It takes my wife and I, a day to pack items and get ready to ship. The whole next day we drive around the island and get inspected (2-3 hours), then drive to the Airport Post Office to drop off. It takes the same work with the same type item if you can understand.

 

LIVE PLANTS ARE PERISHABLE.

For this reason uninsurable.

        When you order a plant we assume you are prepared to care for it. Please have potting media and a container prepared for your plant before it arrives. Shipping can be stressful on a plant, and any mistakes that you make upon arrival can stress the plant further, which is not good. Proper care is critical upon arrival. It is your responsibility to know how to care for the plant.

Not every plant that I order through the mail survives, and I am aware of that and accept the risk when I order. This is the risk that you as the buyer accept, because there is no way to know what kind of conditions it will endure in the trip to your door. My responsibility ends when a live plant is delivered to your door. Live arrival is guaranteed, eternal survival is up to you.

 Do NOT email me a week after potting your plant, and make a claim it arrived damaged. From delivery confirmation, you have only 48 hours from delivery confirmation to make any claim.

 

All claims need to be supported with Photos of the damaged plant(s) as packed/unpacked, the box if damaged, the packing materials and any documents. I am very reasonable and understanding, anything can happen to small plants in transit.

The expense to send it to you is most of your payment. To send any replacement (s), I try to piggy back with your next order.

Replacement is not an option for CUSTOMS SEIZURE.

ALL OF MY ITEMS ARE SHIPPED USDA CERTIFIED WITHIN THE U.S.- USDA and USPS fees are included in the actual cost of shipping and Handling.

Please do not leave a 1 or 2 in my detailed seller ratings for postage fees or any reason really because I will block you from any further purchases. I ship items the best and least expensive option. These are coming from Hawaii. The only thing inexpensive here in Hawaii are my items!! I do ship all my items promptly via best method--if you feel like the combined shipping fee is wrong, please wait to be invoiced and check back with me-I value your business and will work diligently to keep you satisfied. I am very generous and reasonable with reasonable people, just ask.

 

my dog Taz will fetch your email to me

If you are dissatisfied with the item, please contact me   

before leaving a negative or neutral comment.

I want you to be satisfied.

Mahalo iâ `oe no ke kipa `ana mai. E kipa mai hou!

Rare Palm Seeds

Fresh Highest Quality

         Seller warrants seed to be of the variety and quantity advertised. Safe delivery is guaranteed and seeds lost or damaged during shipment will be replaced at seller's expense. Claims must be made within 7 days of shipment. All other replacements, refunds, returns and exchanges will be made at the sole discretion of the seller.

  Seed is a live product which depends on many important related grower skills such as proper planting time, seed depth, type of soil, irrigation, proper use of fertilizers, weed controls, fungicides, insecticides, disease free soil, and reasonable weather conditions during the growing period. Germination is affected by such factors as temperature, moisture content, light intensity and contamination of planting media. These factors are totally out of the seller's control and are the buyer's responsibility and risk. Consequentially, the seller cannot unconditionally guarantee seed to perform properly regardless of conditions or the buyer's methods or mistakes.